High Rates Of Breast Cancer Recurrence In Women With Obesity

The vast majority of women recover from breast cancer – there’s a 92% chance of surviving at least 5 years.

That means, for most women, there’s life after breast cancer. The end of treatment is a wonderful milestone but, mixed with the relief, there can also be considerable anxiety about the risk of the cancer returning.

You’ll have regular follow-up appointments, of course. But is there anything else that you can do?

According to a recent study, losing weight may help.

How Does Obesity Affect The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence?

Hormone-positive breast cancers are fuelled by oestrogen, the female sex hormone. After their cancer treatment ends, many breast cancer survivors take aromatase inhibitors – hormonal drugs – to lower their oestrogen levels and reduce the risk of recurrence.

However, new research from Denmark suggests those drugs may not work as well in women who are overweight or obese. The researchers compared over 13,000 breast cancer survivors, some of normal weight and some who were overweight or obese. All the women were taking aromatase inhibitors but, despite the medication, women with obesity were 18% more likely to have a recurrence of their cancer than normal-weight women. The risk was even higher for women with severe obesity.

Why would that be?

More studies are needed, but it may have something to do with the way that aromatase inhibitors work. They lower oestrogen levels by stopping aromatase (an enzyme in fat tissue) from changing other hormones into oestrogen.

To put it another way, fat cells store oestrogen. Women with obesity have more fat tissue meaning more stored oestrogen – which makes it harder for aromatase inhibitors to work effectively.

Obesity is known to alter the way your body metabolises drugs so it would make sense for it to affect the response to aromatase inhibitors.

That said, the Danish researchers were keen to emphasise that breast cancer survivors with obesity should continue to take aromatase inhibitors. Even if they’re not as effective as they are in normal-weight women, the drugs still help to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

What Else Can You Do?

Losing weight can make a huge difference to the next stage of your life.

Losing weight can:

• Improve your overall health
• Reduce your risk of cancer
• Boost your energy levels
• Help you to enjoy some new adventures.

The trouble is that losing weight is not easy. It’s something you’ve probably tried many times before without lasting success.

So, what makes this time different?

Firstly, you’re different. Surviving breast cancer is bound to change you. It takes commitment, resilience and determination – all traits that can help you lose weight too.

Secondly, we recognise that weight gain and weight loss are multifaceted. That’s why our multidisciplinary team includes a:

• Surgeon – to run tests, prescribe medications and perform surgeries to kickstart your weight loss
• Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant – to provide clinical and emotional support to you throughout your journey
• Dietitian – to help you nourish your body with a wide range of healthy foods
• Psychologist – to help you understand why you gained weight and help you develop a new mindset and new habits that support your health

Learn more about how our experienced multidisciplinary team can support your weight loss

Thirdly, the science of weight loss has advanced. We now have both medical and surgical approaches to weight loss, which have enabled many people to finally achieve their goals.

With the right support and treatment, lasting weight loss can be within your reach, helping to ease your fears of breast cancer recurrence.

Learn more by booking an appointment with SCOPE Certified Shirley Lockie.

Disclaimer

All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Dr Phil Lockie can consult with you to confirm if a particular procedure or treatment is right for you. All surgery carries risks.

References

• Australian Government, Cancer Australia, Breast cancer in Australia statistics, https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/cancer-types/breast-cancer/statistics, [Accessed 7 February 2024]
• Australian Government, Cancer Australia, Feelings after breast cancer, https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/cancer-types/breast-cancer/impacted-by-breast-cancer/feelings, [Accessed 7 February 2024]
• Bariatric News, High rates of breast cancer recurrence in women with obesity, https://www.bariatricnews.net/post/high-rates-for-breast-cancer-recurrence-for-women-with-obesity, [Accessed 7 February 2024]

• Moore, K.T. (2019). Special Populations: Profiling the Effect of Obesity on Drug Disposition and Pharmacodynamics. In: Hock, F., Gralinski, M. (eds) Drug Discovery and Evaluation: Methods in Clinical Pharmacology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56637-5_7-1, [Accessed 7 February 2024]

• WebMD, What a 5% weight loss can do for your health, https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-five-percent-weight-loss, [Accessed 7 February 2024]