Metabolic syndrome and cancer-related mortality among Korean men and women

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Abstract
Background: We examined the association between the metabolic syndrome and cancer mortality in Koreans. Materials and methods: This study included 42 336 men and 32 168 women aged ≥20 years who took health examination and were followed up for 5.6 years. Mortality data were analyzed according to the metabolic syndrome. Results: The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of cancer mortality in subjects with metabolic syndrome compared with subjects without metabolic syndrome was 1.41 (1.08–1.84) after adjustment for possible confounding factors. The association is significant only among men [RR 1.52 (1.10–2.10)], but not among women. The RRs and 95% CIs for cancer deaths in subjects with elevated body mass index, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and triglycerides were 1.36 (1.07–1.71), 1.34 (1.07–1.69), 1.45 (1.14–1.86), and 1.60 (1.26–2.02) after mutual adjustment, respectively. Upon increasing the number of metabolic risk factors to 1, 2–3, and 4–5, the RRs and 95% CIs of death from cancer were 1.32 (0.83–1.48), 1.47 (1.10–1.96), and 2.42 (1.25–4.68), respectively, with a graded fashion (P for trend < 0.005). Conclusion: Our results indicate that metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for cancer-related death in Korean adults. Prevention and management of the metabolic syndrome would be needed to reduce cancer mortality.