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Association of body composition with function in women with early breast cancer

  • Epidemiology
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Abstract

Background

Advances in breast cancer research are making treatment options increasingly effective and reducing mortality. Body composition is an example of a prognostic tool that can help personalize breast cancer treatments and further increase their effectiveness. In this study, we examine the association of several body composition measures with comorbidities, physical function, and quality of life.

Methods

This study is a cross-sectional analysis of 99 women with early breast cancer scheduled for chemotherapy. Univariate regression models were used to identify significant associations of body composition metrics with patient demographics, clinical characteristics, measures of physical function, and patient-reported outcomes (PRO)s. Multivariable modeling was used to evaluate associations adjusted for age.

Results

Median age was 58 (range 24–83), 27% were non-white, and, 47% were obese (≥ 30 kg/m2). Increasing age was associated with lower Skeletal Muscle Density (SMD) (p = 0.0001), lower Skeletal Muscle Gauge (SMG) (p = 0.0005), and higher Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) (p < 0.0001). In patients with a prolonged Timed Up and Go tests (> 14 s), mean VAT was 57.87 higher (p = 0.004), SMD 5.70 lower (p = 0.04), and SMG 325.4 lower (p = 0.02). For each point of higher performance on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), VAT decreased 12.24 (p = 0.002) and SMD rose 1.22 (p = 0.02). In multivariable analysis adjusting for age, the association of TUG > 14 with higher VAT remained significant (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Suboptimal body composition prior to treatment is associated poor physical function and may be an indicator of clinical importance.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly appreciate the active support of oncology clinicians and their research staff at multiple sites and, most importantly, the breast cancer patients participating in our study. We thank Tucker Brenizer, Shanah R. Kirk, and Amy Garrett for their commitment to study implementation best practices.

Funding

This study was supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (New York, NY), UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center/University Cancer Research Fund (Chapel Hill, NC), and Kay Yow Fund (Raleigh, NC).

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Correspondence to G. F. P. Aleixo.

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Conflict of interest

Authors Gabriel FP Aleixo, Allison M Deal, Kirsten A. Nyrop, Hyman B Muss, Emily M Damone, Grant R. Williams, Hyeon Yu, and Shlomit S Shachar declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

This article does not contain any animals performed by any of the authors. Informed consent was obtained from all individuals participants in this study and approved by the IRB of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Appendices

Appendix 1

See Table

Table 4 Baseline patient characteristics

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Appendix 2

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Fig. 3
figure 3

Body composition analysis

3.

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Aleixo, G.F.P., Deal, A.M., Nyrop, K.A. et al. Association of body composition with function in women with early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 181, 411–421 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-020-05624-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-020-05624-3

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