Metabolically active visceral fat linked to aggressive endometrial cancer, new study reveals
High metabolic activity of visceral fat may be associated with more aggressive endometrial cancer, new research presented today at the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM'25) has shown
2025-10-04
(Press-News.org) (Barcelona, Spain, Sunday 5 October 2025) High metabolic activity of visceral fat may be associated with more aggressive endometrial cancer, new research presented today at the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM'25) has shown.1
While obesity is a recognised risk factor for endometrial cancer,2-3 the findings indicate that disease aggressiveness may be driven not only by the amount of visceral fat but also by its metabolic activity. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the internal organs, and to a larger degree than subcutaneous fat, it is known to influence metabolism and inflammation.4-6
Researchers from Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen analysed PET/CT scans of 274 women with endometrial cancer, measuring glucose uptake in visceral fat as an indicator of metabolic activity. They found that women with higher metabolic activity - assessed by average glucose uptake in visceral fat tissue - were more likely to present with advanced stage disease and lymph node metastases.
“Higher metabolic activity in visceral fat was significantly associated with more advanced cancer stages and the presence of lymph node metastases,” explained lead author Jostein Sæterstøl, PhD candidate and MSc. “Notably, we saw no strong correlation between the volume of visceral fat and its metabolic activity, suggesting that the link to disease aggressiveness is not merely related to the quantity of fat, but also to its biological activity.”
“The association between higher visceral fat metabolism and aggressive disease is likely driven by multiple mechanisms,” said Sæterstøl. “Chronic inflammation in visceral fat can release cytokines and fatty acids that promote tumour growth and immune evasion. Inflammation is also known to induce insulin resistance, which is another risk factor for cancer progression. In addition, signalling molecules known as adipokines, and crosstalk between fat tissue and tumour cells, may further support cancer spread, particularly to lymph nodes.”
Measuring visceral fat metabolism with PET/CT is not yet ready for routine clinical use due to technical challenges and variability, especially given the low uptake signal in fat tissue. However, future approaches, including standardised imaging analyses, advanced quantitative PET techniques and artificial intelligence, may help identify high-risk patients, guide treatment decisions and monitor disease progression.
Future research will focus on refining measurement methods, improving accuracy through AI-based segmentation and exploring links between visceral fat metabolism and circulating biomarkers such as cytokines and hormones. The researchers also plan to explore associations with tumour genomic profiles and to assess whether temporal changes in visceral fat activity are associated with disease progression or treatment response.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
A reference to the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (or EANM'25) must be included in all coverage and/or articles associated with this study.
For more information or to arrange an expert interview, please contact press@eanm.org
About the study author
Medical physicist MSc. Jostein Sæterstøl has more than 15 years of experience within the field of nuclear medicine. He recently commenced as a PhD candidate at the University of Bergen, working within the Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre at Haukeland University Hospital.
About EANM
EANM is the largest non-profit medical organisation dedicated to nuclear medicine in Europe. It provides a platform to discuss the latest developments in the field. EANM brings together nuclear medicine physicians, medical physicists, radiochemists, pharmacists, technologists, and experts from related fields. EANM works closely with 40 national societies, 20 non-European affiliated societies and international bodies to bring nuclear medicine to the forefront. Over 8,500 participants join its Annual Congress every year. In August 2025, EANM established its two own open-access journals, published as online-only by the world-leading publisher, Elsevier.
References:
Sæterstøl J, Lavik J, Lunde LP et al. Is Visceral Adipose Tissue Metabolism Linked to Aggressiveness in Endometrial Cancer? Presented at EANM'25 on Sunday 5 October 2025.
Fasmer, K.E., Sæterstøl, J., Ljunggren, M.B.S. et al. Abdominal fat distribution in endometrial cancer: from diagnosis to follow-up. BMC Cancer 25, 879 (2025).
van den Bosch A. A. S., Pijnenborg J. M. A., Romano A., Winkens B., van der Putten L. J. M., Kruitwagen R. F. P. M., & Werner H. M. J. (2023). The impact of adipose tissue distribution on endometrial cancer: a systematic review. Frontiers in Oncology, 13, Article 1182479.
Fontana L, Eagon JC, Trujillo ME, Scherer PE, Klein S. Visceral fat adipokine secretion is associated with systemic inflammation in obese humans. Diabetes. 2007;56(4):1010-1013.
Westerterp M, Hooiveld GJ, van der Kallen CJH, et al. Associations of abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat with insulin resistance and secretion differ between men and women: The Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity Study. Metab Syndr Relat Disord.
Britton KA, Massaro JM, Murabito JM, Kreger BE, Hoffmann U, Fox CS. Body fat distribution, incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Circulation. 2013;128(22):2317-2324. END
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[Press-News.org] Metabolically active visceral fat linked to aggressive endometrial cancer, new study reveals
High metabolic activity of visceral fat may be associated with more aggressive endometrial cancer, new research presented today at the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM'25) has shown
