Breast Cancer More Aggressive Among Obese

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Breast Cancer More Aggressive Among Obesehttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/100651.phpWomen with breast cancer have more aggressive disease and lower

survival rates if they are overweight or obese, according to findings

published in the March 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

" The more obese a patient is, the more aggressive the disease, " said

Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, associate professor of medicine in the

Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas M.D.

Cancer Center. " We are learning that the fat tissue may

increase inflammation that leads to more aggressive disease. "

Cristofanilli and colleagues observed 606 women with locally advanced

breast cancer. These women were classified by body mass index into the

following three groups: normal/underweight (24.9 or below), overweight

(at least 25 but less than 30) or obese (more than 30). Body mass index

is calculated by dividing a person's weight by their height.

At five years, overall survival was 56.8 percent among obese women,

56.3 percent among overweight women and 67.4 percent among normal

weight women. The 10-year survival rate was 42.7 percent among obese

women, 41.8 percent among overweight women and 56.5 percent among

normal weight women.

The rate of inflammatory breast cancer, previously shown to have worse

outcomes than non-inflammatory breast cancer, among obese women was 45

percent compared with 30 percent in overweight women and only 15

percent in women considered normal weight, researchers found.

Risk of breast cancer recurrence was also higher in obese or overweight

women. By five years, 50.8 percent of obese women reported a recurrence

compared with 38.5 percent of normal weight women. By 10 years, the

rate of recurrence was 58 percent among obese women and 45.4 percent

among normal weight women.

" Obesity goes far beyond just how a person looks or any physical strain

from carrying around extra weight. Particular attention should be paid

to our overweight patients, " Cristofanilli said.

Cristofanilli said physicians need to pay close attention to breast

cancer patients because commonly used drugs, such as tamoxifen, tend to

increase weight gain during treatment.

" We have actually become quite good at managing acute side effects such

as nausea in our chemotherapy patients and it goes away within a couple

of days, " Cristofanilli said.

" Following the nausea, our patients tend to overeat, which further

increases their risk of weight gain. We need to impalement lifestyle

modifications interventions and develop better methods to follow these

patients closely. "

The study was funded by the G. Komen Foundation, the Nellie B.

Connally Fund for Breast Cancer Research and the Inflammatory Breast

Cancer Research Group.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research

is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's

oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing

cancer research. The membership includes nearly 27,000 basic,

translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and

cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70

other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the

cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis

and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational

programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR

Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the

latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences

throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics

in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five

major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer

Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research,

is the only journal worldwide dedicated exclusively to cancer

prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also

publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their

families, physicians, and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing

essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in

cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy. American Association for Cancer Research