Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Mexican Women with Obesity as a Risk Factor

What is it about?

Adipose tissue in overweight and obesity shows metabolic imbalance in the function of adipocytes and macrophages, this leads to altered regulation of hunger, lipid storage, and chronic inflammation possibly related to the development of breast cancer. Methods. The study was retrospective of 653 breast cancer patients treated at a tertiary care hospital. Histopathology, hormone receptors, grade, clinical stage, clinical biometry analysis, CEA and CA 15-3 antigens were analyzed. The analyses were performed at diagnosis and at the end of oncological treatments. Results. Mexican women studied and treated for breast cancer have an BMI of 29 from diagnosis and at the end of their cancer treatments. The average age was 52  12 years, 54% in women older than 55 years. Cancer recurrence occurs in any molecular type; however, the common factor was overweight and obesity with 73% vs. 21% in normal weight patients. The most frequent tumor tissue in the population was positive hormone receptors of the luminal type (65%), HER2 (15%), and NT (15%). The analyses of macrophages/lymphocytes (M/L), CEA, and CA 15-3 antigens evaluated in women >55 and <55 years, with and without recurrence are elevated at the end of oncological treatments. Conclusions. The analysis of Mexican women with breast cancer showed a predominance of overweight and obesity at diagnosis and at the end of treatment. A relationship between obesity and cancer recurrence with a low response to treatment due to elevation in Ag CEA and CA 15-3 is suggested. The L/M ratio could be an indicator of inflammation related to adipose tissue since diagnosis.

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Why is it important?

Comparing breast cancer populations in different regions allows us to identify risk factors, response to treatment and survival.