Body mass index as a prognostic factor in operable breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant anthracyclines with or without taxanes

Background

Breast cancer is the most frequent invasive tumor in women. Obesity is a risk factor for several types of cancer, including breast cancer. Obesity is an unfavorable prognostic factor in breast cancer regardless of menopausal status and treatment protocol. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of obesity on prognosis in operable breast cancer patients according to pathologic subtypes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 500 operable breast cancer patients received adjuvant anthracyclines with or without taxanes enrolled in the period between Sep 2011 and Sep 2013, the primary end point was to assess the prognostic effect of body mass index (BMI) on disease recurrence, breast cancer mortality (BCM), and overall mortality (OM). The secondary end point was to detect the difference by breast cancer pathologic subtypes (ER, PR positive/HER2 positive, ER, PR positive/HER2 negative, ER, PR negative/HER2 positive, and triple negative)

Results

Analyses were adjusted for age, tumor size, grade, nodal status, menopausal status, hormone receptors and HER2 receptor status, surgery and chemotherapy regimen. Obese patients (BMI = 30-39.9 kg/m²) had similar prognosis as that of normal weight patients (BMI

Conclusions

Severely obese breast cancer patients with a BMI ≥40 kg/m² treated with anthracyclines with or without taxanes had a worse prognosis in terms of recurrence, BCM & OM than patients with a BMI

Clinical trial identification

Legal entity responsible for the study

Mansoura University

Funding

Mansoura University

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.