Weight Gain after Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Abstract

Obesity following breast cancer diagnosis is associated with poor overall survival. Understanding weight trajectories will help inform breast cancer survivors at greater risk of weight gain, and those who would benefit from earlier anti-obesity interventions. We performed a retrospective chart review of women from the Breast Cancer Program Longitudinal Repository (BCPLR) at Johns Hopkins diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive Stage I-III breast cancer from 2010 to 2020. We investigated obesity (measured by body mass index [BMI]) over time, patient and tumor characteristics, as well as treatment and recurrence. We observed a significant ≥5% increase in BMI from diagnosis to most recent follow-up (p = 0.009), particularly among those who were overweight at diagnosis (p = 0.003). Additionally, among those up to 5 years since diagnosis, there was a significant association between experiencing a ≥0.1 kg/m2 increase per year since diagnosis and baseline BMI status (p = 0.009). A ≥0.6 kg/m2 decrease in BMI was observed for participants with obesity at diagnosis (p = 0.006). Our study highlights (i) the significant burden of obesity in women with a history of breast cancer and (ii) higher risks for increases in BMI and shifts in class of obesity among women who are overweight at diagnosis.

Impact of obesity on sentinel lymph node biopsy outcomes and survival in breast cancer patients: A single‐center retrospective study

“…The prevalence of obesity has been rapidly increasing in recent years 14 . Obesity contributes to cancer progression and unfavorable survival outcomes in BC patients 15,16 . However, available data on the effect of obesity on the prognosis of early‐stage BC patients undergoing SLNB, particularly in East Asian populations, are scarce.…”

“…14 Obesity contributes to cancer progression and unfavorable survival outcomes in BC patients. 15,16 However, available data on the effect of obesity on the prognosis of early-stage BC patients undergoing SLNB, particularly in East Asian populations, are scarce. Our findings found that obesity is an independent risk factor for prognosis in early-stage BC patients who had undergone SLNB; however, obesity did not affect the positive SLN rate.…”

“…Patients with a preoperative BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 had a significantly higher risk of lymphedema than those with a preoperative BMI < 25 kg/m 2 (odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.928 [1.565–5.480]) 13 . Furthermore, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) 14 performed in overweight women was significantly associated with failed localization 15–17 . In addition, BC patients with a high BMI have a higher rate of lymph node metastasis 18 .…”

“…13 Furthermore, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) 14 performed in overweight women was significantly associated with failed localization. [15][16][17] In addition, BC patients with a high BMI have a higher rate of lymph node metastasis. 18 However, evidence is limited for the rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis and the prognosis following SLNB in obese patients with BC.…”