Weight Change of Younger and Older Early Breast Cancer Patients – A Meta Regression

Abstract

Introduction: Weight gain has a major impact on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Post treatment weight gain can impact on primary endpoints such as recurrence, death, self identity and the ability to return to work. Parameters thought to impact on weight gain include menopausal status, age and chemotherapy regimen. Using meta-regression, we studied the effect of age on weight change, by menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen.Methods: 24 studies were identified, and extracted for weight change, mean/median age, menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen. A meta-regression was performed, using a random-effects DerSimonian and Laird model for high heterogeneity and fixed-effects inverse-variance model for low heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were conducted, by menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: There exists no relationship between weight change and age (β = 0.00; p = 0.987). Stratifying by menopausal status and chemotherapy regimens, there likewise was no relationship. Conclusion: Management of weight gain due to chemotherapy has been focused on relatively young women where a higher mortality and recurrence has been found. However, our results suggest that age should not be used to differentiate care in these patients.