Pedersen B, et al. – Researchers conducted a prospective follow–up study to evaluate the extent and patterns of change in weight and body composition after current standard adjuvant antineoplastic treatment for breast cancer. Data suggested that weight changes in a pooled sample are overestimated. Nevertheless, premenopausal women receiving anthracycline–based chemotherapy display a tendency toward a body composition with increasing fat mass.

Methods

• Researchers obtained data on weight and body composition from 95 women with breast cancer Stage I to III during 18 months on a bioelectric impedance analyzer.
• They computed changes and odds ratio (OR) by a linear mixed model and logistic regression.

Results

• There was an increase in weight of 0.9 kg (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3–1.5; P = .003) and an average positive association of 0.35 kg/cm increased waist circumference (95% CI, 0.29–0.42 kg; P
• Relative weight alterations ranged from -12.7% to 20.5%.
• They observed weight gains related to increased body fat mainly in premenopausal women receiving chemotherapy (1.4 kg; 95% CI, 0.4–2.4; P = .007).
• For menopausal status, OR was 2.9 (95% CI, 1.14–7.1; P = .025), and for chemotherapy, OR was 2.6 (95% CI, 1.03–6.41; P = .043).
• It was noted that the OR for weight loss in Stage III breast cancer was 12.5 (95% CI, 1.21–128.84; P = .034) and 4.3 (CI, 1.07–17.24; P = .40) for comorbidity.