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Adult weight gain accelerates the onset of breast cancer

  • Epidemiology
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Weight gain in adulthood is a risk factor for breast cancer; however, the impact on age of onset is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate whether weight gain from early- to mid-adulthood influenced the timing of breast cancer onset.

Methods

Increase in body mass index (BMI) from lowest adult BMI to BMI at diagnosis and age at which these events occurred were calculated from breast cancer survivors enrolled in a weight loss trial (n = 660). Quartiles (Q) of the average increase in BMI were determined and associations between weight gain and age at disease onset were analyzed using analysis of covariance and spline regression models.

Results

A significant linear trend was observed across the quartiles of BMI change for earlier age at diagnosis [Q1 52.3 (± 0.73), Q2 51.9 (± 0.70), Q3 49.6 (± 0.66), Q4 47.3 (± 0.67), p < 0.0001] after adjusting for potential confounders. In analyses that stratified by tumor subtype and menopausal status, significant linear trends continued to be observed for earlier age at diagnosis across quartiles of BMI for ER ± , PR ± , HER2 + , as well as pre- and postmenopausal status (p-values < 0.001).

Conclusions

Women who gain excess weight during adulthood are not only at risk for breast cancer, but also may experience earlier onset of disease and reduced cancer-free years.

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Funding

Supported by grants from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Cancer Institute Grants CA148791, CA047888 and NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR001082 at the University of Colorado Denver.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Maria Azrad

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Cindy K. Blair

  3. University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Cindy K. Blair

  4. Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA

    Cheryl L. Rock

  5. Department of Community Behavioral Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA

    Rebecca L. Sedjo

  6. Interactive Health Inc.,, Schaumburg, IL, USA

    Kathleen Y. Wolin

  7. Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Wendy Demark-Wahnefried

  8. Comprehensive Cancer, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Wendy Demark-Wahnefried

Authors
  1. Maria Azrad
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  2. Cindy K. Blair
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  3. Cheryl L. Rock
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  4. Rebecca L. Sedjo
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  5. Kathleen Y. Wolin
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  6. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried
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Correspondence to Maria Azrad.

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Azrad, M., Blair, C.K., Rock, C.L. et al. Adult weight gain accelerates the onset of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 176, 649–656 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05268-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05268-y

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