Association Between Allostatic Load and Incident Colorectal Cancer-A Prospective Study in a Multiethnic Asian...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Science
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Allostatic load (AL) quantifies cumulative physiological stress across multiple systems.
• AL is linked to cancer, but evidence in Asian populations is limited.
• This study investigates AL factors and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in a multiethnic Asian cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with AL.
• To assess the association between AL and CRC risk in Asian adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 30,443 adults (Chinese, Malay, Indian) in Singapore (2004-2016).
• AL derived from nine biomarkers; high AL defined as a score ≥ 3.
• Cox proportional hazards models assessed CRC risk, with follow-up until diagnosis, death, or end of study.

Main Results:

• 60.3% of participants had high AL.
• Older age, male sex, Malay/Indian ethnicity, lower education, unemployment, diabetes, low physical activity, and prolonged sitting were linked to higher AL.
• High AL was associated with a 53% increased CRC risk (aHR=1.53; 95% CI=1.10-2.14), consistent after adjustments.

Conclusions:

• Findings align with Western studies, identifying AL as a potential CRC risk biomarker in Asians.
• Integrating AL into health strategies may aid early CRC detection and targeted prevention.