If breast cancer is detected early enough, it has a good prognosis. In fact, the five-year survival rate among women diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 was 88%, according to a new report. Cancer Panorama in France – 2023 edition.
After the ordeal, some survivors tend to gain more weight, according to a new study presented at the annual medical conference Endo 2024organized in early June in Boston.
Breast cancer survivors gain weight
The researchers wanted to measure the number of women who suffered from breast cancer and were affected by this excessive weight gain and the factors associated with this excess weight. To do this, they used a registry of 4,744 patients with the disease.
“Weight gain after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is a common concern among survivors and is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence“, explains Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, the study's lead researcher, in A I reported. In addition to increasing the risk of breast cancer recurrence, being overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Among breast cancer survivors, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death after breast cancer itself.“
In this work, scientists observed that on average, during the six years following a cancer diagnosis, women gained just under one kilogram (0.9 kg). But 18% of them, or about one in five, are affected by excessive weight gain, or more than 10%.
Breast cancer: 7 factors for weight gain
Researchers also identified factors associated with excessive weight gain:
- Being underweight at the beginning of the disease.
- Being young at the time of diagnosis;
- You have cancer that is at a more advanced stage.
- You have hormone positive breast cancer.
- have BRCA2 gene mutations;
- Undergoing more aggressive breast surgery.
- Use of chemotherapy and Endocrine treatment.
The team believes this list could help identify women who may have weight problems very early and prevent associated disorders. “Identifying these patients early in the process will allow us to put in place measures to prevent excessive weight gain, thus improving outcomes in the treatment of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Hurtado Andrade says. Our main goal is [que les femmes puissent bien vivre le plus longtemps possible après un cancer du sein].“
