Increasingly common health conditions raise risk of death from cancer that killed James Van Der Beek

An increasingly common set of health conditions plaguing the United States may be quietly fueling the rise of multiple cancers in Americans.

A large new analysis of more than 50 million Americans over the age of 18 found that metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat and high cholesterol, significantly increases the risk of multiple obesity-related cancers and significantly worsens the chances of surviving colorectal cancer.

The umbrella review, published by researchers at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute, synthesized 21 systematic reviews and meta-analyses that included nearly 100 individual studies.

The evidence was classified as ‘highly suggestive’ for colorectal and kidney cancers and ‘substantial’ for breast and endometrial cancers. ‘Extremely suggestive’ here means that the link is backed by strong statistics and is unlikely to occur by chance. Weaker but still significant associations were found for pancreatic, liver, and esophageal cancers.

The analysis found that people with metabolic syndrome had a 41 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and a 67 percent higher risk of developing kidney cancer. Metabolic syndrome was associated with a 27 percent increased risk of breast cancer, a 49 percent increased risk of endometrial cancer, and a 33 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Specifically, the review found that the more metabolic abnormalities a person had, the higher their overall cancer risk and the worse the survival rate from colorectal cancer. This was true even after only body weight was taken into account; This suggests that not only obesity but also metabolic dysfunction is a critical factor.

Obesity-related cancers account for approximately four in 10 cancer diagnoses in the United States. This umbrella review found that metabolic syndrome increased the risk of many of these cancers, including colorectal, breast, endometrial, kidney, liver, pancreatic and esophageal cancers, even after accounting for obesity.

The increased risk persisted in normal weight individuals with metabolic dysfunction; This means that not only excess body weight but also a number of conditions themselves trigger cancer risk.

The study authors said: ‘Although there was variability in study quality, the consistency and strength of these associations highlight the importance of addressing metabolic syndrome as a key modifiable risk factor in cancer development and progression, particularly for colorectal cancer.’

In a new study published in the journal Obesity ReviewsWeaker but still statistically significant associations were seen for liver cancer, with a 74 percent higher risk, and esophageal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of esophageal cancer, with a 21 percent higher risk.

Ovarian and thyroid cancers showed positive associations but did not reach statistical significance, largely due to the limited number of studies.

Gender differences also emerged. The risk of colorectal cancer was 38 percent higher and the risk of liver cancer was 41 percent higher in men with metabolic syndrome.

Women faced a 35 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer and a 58 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer; the latter was classified as weak evidence due to the smaller number of cases.

There are various theories explaining the gender difference, but one leading theory points to estrogen. The hormone appears to exert a protective effect against the chronic, low-grade inflammation that links metabolic dysfunction to cancer, particularly in the colon, where estrogen helps reduce harmful cellular changes caused by poor metabolic health.

Without this brake, men may be more vulnerable to the carcinogenic effects of conditions such as high blood sugar, excess belly fat, and abnormal cholesterol.

Confirming the dose-dependent relationship, that is, the more metabolic abnormalities a person has, the worse their consequences; The analysis found that people with both components of metabolic syndrome had 2.6 times worse survival from colorectal cancer. With three or more components, survival was 4.5 times worse.

Scientists are still trying to piece together exactly how metabolic syndrome triggers cancer, but several basic mechanisms have emerged.

Chronic inflammation is often at the center of cancer research. A silent, long-term threat, chronic inflammation ramps up the immune system, which then attacks healthy cells and tissues. Years spent in a systemic, inflammatory state, even at low levels, can lead to chronic fatigue and pain.

Visceral fat around organs actively produces inflammatory chemicals that can damage DNA and signal cells to divide more frequently than they should, producing what some call an apple body shape.

At the same time, metabolic syndrome disrupts the balance of hormones. It reduces the production of adiponectin, a hormone that normally helps protect against inflammation and uncontrolled cell growth.

It also increases insulin resistance, causing the pancreas to pump out more and more insulin. High insulin levels can also serve as growth fuel for certain cancer cells.

Over time, this environment becomes fertile ground for tumors to take root, grow, and spread.

Colorectal cancer is increasingly becoming a problem in the lives of young and otherwise healthy people, striking even teenagers in their early 20s. Approximately 20 percent of CRC diagnoses are now made in people under 55; this is in sharp contrast to the traditional elderly patient population.

Since the 1990s, rates of colorectal cancer in adults under 50 have nearly doubled; Cases in the 20-39 age group are rising steadily at a rate of two percent each year. The disease is now one of the deadliest cancers for young adults.

More than 40 percent of Americans are obese, according to federal data. The prevalence of severe obesity was 9.4 percent

James Van Der Beek died of colorectal cancer at the age of 48. A healthy person with no family history attributed his bowel habit change to coffee. Colonoscopy revealed that the cancer was stage 3. He urged others not to ignore the signs

Meanwhile, pancreatic cancer, long considered a disease of older adults, is also quietly on the rise in younger Americans.

The condition usually affects people over the age of 65, especially those with long-standing risk factors such as smoking, obesity or type 2 diabetes. Approximately 67,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease each year, and more than 52,000 die from the disease.

But a 2025 analysis shows that between 2000 and 2021, diagnoses increased by 4.3 percent annually among those ages 15 to 34 and by 1.5 percent annually for those ages 35 to 54. The absolute numbers are small, but experts say this trend is extremely worrying.

James Van Der Beek, known for his role on Dawson’s Creek, died of colorectal cancer on Wednesday at the age of 48. He was fit, healthy and had no family history of cancer when he noticed a slight change in his bowel habits.

He initially dismissed it as just his morning coffee. However, when symptoms persisted, he underwent a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in November 2024, at the age of 47, placing him in the category of early-onset cases diagnosed before age 50.

Despite treatment, the cancer was aggressive. Insiders said doctors eventually stopped treating him when he had nothing more to offer. Van Der Beek spent his final years urging people not to ignore the signs he almost missed.

Metabolic syndrome can be reversed by adhering to a healthy diet (doctors and nutritionists favor the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet) as well as physical exercise, weight loss, stress management, and quitting smoking completely.

This study has limitations. The basic studies he analyzed were generally of low quality; There were inconsistent definitions of metabolic syndrome and wide variation across studies. Because the data comes from observational studies, it may show strong associations but cannot prove that metabolic syndrome directly causes cancer. While the evidence for cancer risk is solid, data on survival after diagnosis are still insufficient.