Knowledge Centre
Obese Women Present to Doctors With More Advanced Breast Cancer and Have Worse Breast Cancer Prognosis Than Normal-Weight Women
According to scientists presenting at the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference this past April, obese women with breast cancer tend to present to their doctors when their cancer is at a more advanced stage and have a worse overall prognosis than normal-weight women with breast cancer.
In one study, Dr. Rapiti and colleagues compared breast cancer diagnoses and body mass index (BMI) in a population of 1,100
women. Body mass index is a general measure of body composition, with higher BMI levels associated with higher body fat levels. They found that obese women were both more likely to present initially with stage 3 or 4 breast cancer than normal-weight patients, and that obese patients were less likely to have had ultrasound or MRI procedures. Obese women were also more likely to experience surgical delays and had longer hospital stays. The scientists offered several explanations for this difference. One possibility is that obese women tend to have larger breasts with more fatty tissue, which makes it more difficult to detect tumors or enlarged lymph nodes. It may also be significant that obese women are often reluctant to make contact with the medical system due to embarrassment about their weight or a fear of being chastised about their weight. As a result, they may delay presenting for care until symptoms are quite pronounced. Also, if obese women tend to make fewer preventive care visits, they may miss receiving important education regarding breast self-examination and general breast care.
Another presentation at the Conference, conducted on nearly 3,000 patients by Dr. de Azambuga and his colleagues found statistically significant differences in survival rates and cancer recurrences in women who had a body mass index (BMI) of over 30, which is indicative of obesity. About 76% of non-obese women were cancer-free after 5 years as opposed to only about 70% of obese women. Also, while nearly 88% of non-obese women survived 5 years after their breast cancer diagnosis, only 83% of obese women survived 5 years. Further research will now be necessary to determine the possible reasons for these results, including how obesity may impact hormonal status or the existence of other diseases or conditions linked to obesity that may make it more difficult to treat cancer. Also, it will be explored whether obese women may have different reactions to chemotherapy.
These disturbing findings suggest that clinicians must take steps to proactively educate overweight female patients that excess body fat can make it more difficult to detect breast cancer and to strongly encourage them to lose weight and maintain a regular schedule of preventive checkups and screenings. To help your patients determine their body mass index, you can access a body mass calculator at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's online Adult BMI Calculator.
Logix Drive is the Mammologix Client System
The Leonides Coalition
Online collection of reference materials and information available from multiple sources.
Powered by Leonides Coalition.
