Nearly 20% of breast cancer survivors may experience weight gain of more than 10%, according to recent findings presented by Hurtado Andrade et al at the Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting & Exposition 2024. The research may illuminate a number of factors potentially contributing to excessive weight gain in this patient population.
Background
“Weight gain after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is a common concern among [breast cancer] survivors and poses a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence,” explained lead study author Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. “In addition to increasing the risk of breast cancer recurrence, weight gain increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In breast cancer survivors, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death after breast cancer itself,” she added.
Study Methods and Results
In this study, investigators used a registry of 4,744 breast cancer survivors to determine which ones may have an increased risk of weight gain. Over the course of 6 years after breast cancer diagnosis, weight increased by an average of 2 lb. Although this was only a modest weight gain, the investigators found that 18% of the survivors gained more than 10% of their body weight at 6 years.
The investigators discovered that factors associated with more than 10% weight gain included a lower weight, younger age, and more advanced cancer stage at diagnosis; hormone receptor–positive breast cancer; BRCA2 mutations; more aggressive breast cancer surgery; and receipt of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.
Conclusions
“The variables we found to be associated with excess weight gain could be used as predictors of weight gain in this population,” underscored Dr. Hurtado Andrade. “Identifying these patients early in the survivorship course will allow us to institute measures to prevent excess weight gain, thereby improving breast cancer and cardiovascular disease outcomes. Our overarching goal is to promote a healthy longevity in breast cancer survivors,” she concluded.
