scholarly journals Obesity and Breast Cancer: A Paradoxical and Controversial Relationship Influenced by Menopausal Status

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura García-Estévez ◽  
Javier Cortés ◽  
Silvia Pérez ◽  
Isabel Calvo ◽  
Isabel Gallegos ◽  
...  

Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women worldwide, and an increasing public health concern. Knowledge of both protective and negative risk factors is essential for a better understanding of this heterogenous disease. We undertook a review of the recent literature and evaluated the relationship between obesity mediators and breast cancer development depending on menopausal status. Excess weight is now pandemic and has replaced tobacco as the main lifestyle-related risk factor for premature death. Although the prevalence of obesity/overweight has increased globally over the last 50 years, the potential harm attributable to excess fat has generally been underestimated. The relationship between overweight/obesity, breast cancer and overall risk appears to be highly dependent on menopausal status. Thus, obesity increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women but, conversely, it appears to be protective in premenopausal women. We evaluate the role of different clinical factors potentially involved in this seemingly contradictory relationship, including estrogen, mammogram density, adipokines, insulin-signaling pathway activation, and inflammatory status. A key focus of this review is to better understand the impact of body mass index and menopausal status on these clinical factors and, hence, provide some clarity into the inter-relationships involved in this controversial issue.

Author(s):  
Trinidad Dierssen-Sotos ◽  
Inés Gómez-Acebo ◽  
Nuria Gutiérrez-Ruiz ◽  
Nuria Aragonés ◽  
Pilar Amiano ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between the intake of the major nutrients and prognosis in breast cancer. A cohort based on 1350 women with invasive (stage I-IV) breast cancer (BC) was followed up. Information about their dietary habits before diagnosis was collected using a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Participants without FFQ or with implausible energy intake were excluded. The total amount consumed of each nutrient (Kcal/day) was divided into tertiles, considering as “high intakes” those above third tertile. The main effect studied was overall survival. Cox regression was used to assess the association between death and nutrient intake. During a median follow-up of 6.5 years, 171 deaths were observed. None of the nutrients analysed was associated with mortality in the whole sample. However, in normal-weight women (BMI 18.5–25 kg/m2) a high intake of carbohydrates (≥809 Kcal/day), specifically monosaccharides (≥468 Kcal/day), worsened prognostic compared to lowest (≤352 Kcal/day). Hazard Ratios (HRs) for increasing tertiles of intake were HR:2.22 95% CI (1.04 to 4.72) and HR:2.59 95% CI (1.04 to 6.48), respectively (p trend = 0.04)). Conversely, high intakes of polyunsaturated fats (≥135 Kcal/day) improved global survival (HR: 0.39 95% CI (0.15 to 1.02) p-trend = 0.05) compared to the lowest (≤92.8 kcal/day). In addition, a protective effect was found substituting 100 kcal of carbohydrates with 100 kcal of fats in normal-weight women (HR: 0.76 95% CI (0.59 to 0.98)). Likewise, in premenopausal women a high intake of fats (≥811 Kcal/day) showed a protective effect (HR:0.20 95% CI (0.04 to 0.98) p trend = 0.06). Finally, in Estrogen Receptors (ER) negative tumors, we found a protective effect of high intake of animal proteins (≥238 Kcal/day, HR: 0.24 95% CI (0.06 to 0.98). According to our results, menopausal status, BMI and ER status could play a role in the relationship between diet and BC survival and must be taken into account when studying the influence of different nutrients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahareh Sasanfar ◽  
Fatemeh Toorang ◽  
Elham Mohebbi ◽  
Kazem Zendehdel ◽  
Leila Azadbakht

Abstract Background A few studies have examined the relationship between carbohydrate quality index (CQI) and risk of breast cancer (BC) among women in Middle Eastern countries. We studied the associations between carbohydrate quality index and the risk of BC in overall and by menopausal status. Methods In this case-control study, dietary intake of 461 women with pathologically confirmed BC within the past year were examined. The same information were collected for 495 apparently healthy controls using a 168-item validated FFQ. Carbohydrate quality was determined by considering four criteria including: ratio of solid carbohydrates to total carbohydrates, dietary fiber intake, GI and the ratio of whole grains to total grains. Results Mean GI and GL of participants were totally 57.5 ± 7.2 and 245.7 ± 64.7, respectively. A trend toward significant association was seen between GI and odds of BC in the whole population; such that after stratifying analysis by menopausal status, premenopausal women in the highest quartile of GI were 1.85 times higher likely to have BC than those in the lowest quartile (95% CI: 1.12, 3.07, P = 0.01). We found that women with the greatest CQI had lower odds for BC, compared with those with the lowest CQI (0.63; 95% CI: 0.43–0.94, P = 0.03). This association was remained after stratifying analysis by menopausal status in premenopausal (0.55; 95% CI: 0.34–0.90, P = 0.04). Conclusion We found that GI was directly and CQI inversely associated with odds of BC. In order to determine the effects of dietary carbohydrate quality prospective cohort studies are needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yann Combret ◽  
Guillaume Prieur ◽  
Roger Hilfiker ◽  
Francis-Edouard Gravier ◽  
Pauline Smondack ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Little interest has been paid to expiratory muscle strength, and the impact of expiratory muscle weakness on critical outcomes is not known. Very few studies assessed the relationship between maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and critical outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between MEP and critical outcomes. Methods This work was a secondary analysis of a prospective, observational study of adult patients who required mechanical ventilation for ≥ 24 h in an 18-bed ICU. MEP was assessed before extubation after a successful, spontaneous breathing trial. The relationships between MEP and extubation failure, and short-term (30 days) mortality, were investigated. Univariate logistic regressions were computed to investigate the relationship between MEP values and critical outcomes. Two multivariate analyses, with and without maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), both adjusted using principal component analysis, were undertaken. Unadjusted and adjusted ROC curves were computed to compare the respective ability of MEP, MIP and the combination of both measures to discriminate patients with and without extubation failure or premature death. Results One hundred and twenty-four patients were included. Median age was 66 years (IQR 18) and median mechanical ventilation duration was 7 days (IQR 6). Extubation failure rate was 15% (18/124 patients) and the rate for 30-day mortality was 11% (14/124 patient). Higher MEP values were significantly associated with a lower risk of extubation failure in the univariate analysis [OR 0.96 95% CI (0.93–0.98)], but not with short-term mortality. MEP was independently linked with extubation failure when MIP was not included in the multivariate model, but not when it was included, despite limited collinearity between these variables. This study was not able to differentiate the respective abilities of MEP, MIP, and their combination to discriminate patients with extubation failure or premature death (adjusted AUC for the combination of MEP and MIP: 0.825 and 0.650 for extubation failure and premature death, respectively). Conclusions MEP is related to extubation failure. But, the results did not support its use as a substitute for MIP, since the relationship between MEP and critical outcomes was no longer significant when MIP was included. The use of MIP and MEP measurements combined did not reach higher discriminative capacities for critical outcomes that MEP or MIP alone. Trial Registration This study was retrospectively registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02363231?cond=NCT02363231&draw=2&rank=1 (NCT02363231) in 13 February 2015


2001 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anelise Bezerra de Vasconcelos ◽  
Gulnar Azevedo e Silva Mendonça ◽  
Rosely Sichieri

CONTEXT: The relationship between body size and breast cancer still remains controversial in considering menopausal status. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of height, weight and weight changes with breast cancer in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). SAMPLE: 177 incident cases of invasive breast cancer admitted to the main hospital of INCA between May 1995 and February 1996, and 377 controls recruited from among female visitors to the same hospital. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Height and weight were measured and information on maximum weight, weight at ages 18 and 30 years, and potential risk factors were ascertained by interview at the hospital. RESULTS: Height was not related to risk of breast cancer among both pre and postmenopausal women. Nevertheless, women in this study were shorter than in studies that have found a positive association. Premenopausal women in the upper quartile of recent body mass index (BMI) and maximum BMI showed a reduced risk of breast cancer (P for trend <= 0.03). Weight loss between ages 18 and 30 years and from 18 years to present was also associated with breast cancer among premenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may merely indicate the known association between leanness and breast cancer. Further studies should explore the role of weight loss on breast cancer risk.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Kemal ◽  
G Demirag ◽  
F Teker ◽  
E Kut ◽  
M Kefeli ◽  
...  

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women. A high body-mass index (BMI) is related to increased incidence of BC with poorer prognosis. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association in patients with BC between BMI at the time of diagnosis and biological characteristics, according to the menopausal status. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study comprised a total of 318 women with BC. Clinicopathological differences between normal, overweight and obese patients according to menopausal status were evaluated. Results: Premenopausal women had a significantly lower BMI than postmenopausal patients (28.7 vs. 31.5, respectively; p = 0.00001). No statistically significant association was determined between BMI and clinicopathological characteristics in either the premenopausal or the postmenopausal group (all p values are > 0.05). Conclusions: There are many conflicting results in literature on this relationship. The results of this study showed that a high BMI is not associated with worse clinicopathological characteristics in a predominantly obese population. In current medical oncology practice, BC should be evaluated on an individual patient basis and the impact of obesity on BC prognosis seems to be difficult to estimate especially in an obese population.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. BCBCR.S6957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Ayala-Feliciano ◽  
Jaime J. Pons-Valerio ◽  
José Pons-Madera ◽  
Summer F. Acevedo

Background In the US there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors (BCSs), most of whom have required some type of intensive treatment. How individuals cope with the treatment process may relate to why neurocognitive problems arise. Method We explored the impact of treatment for breast cancer (BC) on performance of the Memory Island task, both on working memory and on the general index of cognitive performance in relation to coping strategies of BCSs compared to age-matched controls. Results The evidence obtained suggests a reduced performance in visuospatial memory in BCSs. Those who used emotional coping strategies displayed reduced performance in visuospatial learning and immediate memory. Those women who used problem-focused coping strategies performed better in those tasks measuring psychomotor speed, general intelligence, and delayed visuospatial memory. Conclusions It is concluded that further investigation of the relationship between coping strategies and performance on visuospatial tasks may provide useful information on residual levels of neurocognitive deficits and psychosocial adaptation in BCSs.


2010 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. BCBCR.S5248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megumi Kuchiki ◽  
Takaaki Hosoya ◽  
Akira Fukao

We investigated the relationship between mammary gland volume (MGV) of the breast as measured with three-dimensional chest computed tomography (CT) and breast cancer risk. Univariate analysis was used to assess the relationship between MGV and known risk factors in 427 healthy women. A case control study (97 cases and 194 controls) was conducted to assess breast cancer risk. MGV was significantly smaller for postmenopausal women than for premenopausal women, and was significantly larger for women with a family history of breast cancer than for women without. MGV, body mass index (BMI), and rate of family history of breast cancer were significantly higher among breast cancer patients than among healthy women, and number of deliveries was significantly lower among breast cancer patients. In postmenopausal women, age at menarche was significantly younger for breast cancer patients. MGV correlated well with breast cancer risk factors. The highest odds ratio was 4.9 for premenopausal women with the largest MGV. Regardless of menopausal status, the greater the MGV, the higher the odds ratio. Our results constitute the first reliable data on the relationship between MGV and breast cancer obtained through exact volume analysis.


2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 668-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Chirivella ◽  
B. Bermejo ◽  
A. Insa ◽  
A. Perez-Fidalgo ◽  
A. Magro ◽  
...  

668 Background: The relationship between chemotherapy (CT) dose intensity and patient (pt) outcome in the management of early stage breast cancer (EBC) is still controversial. Although randomised clinical trials have provided evidence that supports the delivery of full standard doses of CT on schedule, precise thresholds for CT dose-related factors and their impact on survival-related endpoints have not yet been fully defined. The objective of this project is to assess the impact of CT dose-related factors on event-free and overall survival in a large group of EBC pts treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 1056 EBC (stage I-II-IIIA) cases diagnosed and treated from January 1980 to December 2000 were retrospectively studied. All of them received adjuvant anthracycline non-taxanes-based CT. Consecutive charts from 793 pts that were fully completed were included in the analysis. Survival-related endpoints were analysed through Kaplan-Meier estimates, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: With a median follow-up of 10.0 years, pts exposed to either > 2 cycle-delay (delay at any cycle defined as ≥ 3 days vs. plan), or ≥ 15 day-delay across the whole CT regimen, or < 95% relative dose intensity (RDI) showed significantly worse 10-year Event-Free Survival (EFS) and Overall Survival (OS) as compared to pts with no dose delay/reduction (data shown below). Controlling for age at diagnosis, disease stage, histological grade, menopausal status and year of treatment did not modify these results. Conclusions: Based on this preliminary analysis, CT dose delays and reductions in EBC pts treated with adjuvant anthracycline-based regimens have a significantly negative impact on EFS and OS. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 613-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Braun ◽  
M. Pölcher ◽  
S. Schrading ◽  
O. Zivanovic ◽  
T. Kowalski ◽  
...  

613 Background: To evaluate the impact of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast on the clinical management of patients with operable breast cancer (BC). Methods: Retrospective analysis of 160 patients with operable breast cancer (stages Tis, through T4), who were treated from 2002 through 2004. All patients underwent a full mammographic assessment, high frequency breast ultrasound, and breast MRI. The impact of preoperative MRI was evaluated for each patient with regard to changes in the therapeutic procedure. Patient and tumor characteristics were analysed to identify possible patient subgroups that predominantly benefit from preoperative MRI. Results: Preoperative MRI affected the clinical management in 44 of 160 patients (27.5%). In 30 cases (18.75%) additional in-situ or invasive cancers or a more widespread tumor extent were diagnosed correctly which went undetected by clinical palpation, mammography, and breast ultrasound. In 14 cases (8.75%) additional, surgical procedures were performed based on suspicious MRI findings with benign pathology. Age, menopausal status, breast density, tumor characteristics (type, tumor size, grading), ER-, PR- and HER2- receptor features did not significantly differ between patients in which breast MRI affected the clinical management and patients that experienced no additional information from MRI. Conclusions: Preoperative breast MRI changes surgical management in a considerable amount of patients with operable breast cancer. MRI detects additional invasive carcinoma and proves to be a meaningful supplement to the conventional work-up in the clinical management of breast cancer. This benefit is independent from patients and tumor characteristics. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e17543-e17543
Author(s):  
S. Ahmed ◽  
M. M. Mirza ◽  
A. Farooq ◽  
L. Kronish ◽  
M. Jahanzeb ◽  
...  

e17543 Background: TNBC is associated with a worse prognosis than luminal subtypes. There is discordance among studies assessing the impact of race on outcomes of TNBC. Our objective was to assess whether African American (AA) vs. Caucasian (CA) race predicted survival outcomes for women with TNBC treated at a single institution in Memphis, TN. Secondary objectives were to examine the association of race with patient and tumor characteristics. Methods: Patients with stage I-III TNBC were identified from our breast cancer database and confirmed by review of pathology reports. Event free survival (EFS) was measured from the date of surgery to the date of first recurrence (locoregional, distant, or contralateral), death from breast cancer or last follow-up. Breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) was measured from the date of surgery to the date of death from breast cancer or last follow-up. Fisher's exact test was used for association between variables, Kaplan Meier method for survival estimates, and log rank test for survival comparison between groups (p < 0.05: significant). Cox proportional hazards models with patient, tumor and treatment variables were fitted for EFS and BCSS. Results: Of the 105 patients with TNBC, 71% were AA. There was no significant association between race and stage at diagnosis (p = 0.68). 71% of AA women were < 55 years old and 43% were pre-menopausal vs. 50% and 23% of CA women respectively. There was a trend towards association of race with age and menopausal status (p = 0.08). Ninety three percent of the patients received neo/adjuvant chemotherapy. With a median follow up of 26 months, 26% of AA vs. 20% of CA women had an event (p = 0.62). Overall 3 year EFS and BCSS estimates were 69% and 82% respectively. Racial differences in EFS and BCSS for AA vs. CA (65% vs. 80% and 78% vs. 89%, respectively) did not achieve statistical significance (log rank p = 0.22 for EFS and 0.26 for BCSS). Race was not a significant predictor of EFS or BCSS on uni-variable or multi-variable analysis. Stage at diagnosis retained significance for EFS and BCSS on uni-variable and multi-variable testing. Conclusions: Race did not affect outcomes in our cohort of TNBC patients treated similarly. The high event rate underscores the poor prognosis of TNBC and the need for more effective therapies. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


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