Weight changes of younger and older early breast cancer patients-a meta regression

Weight gain during chemotherapy for breast cancer is quite common and has a major impact on the quality of life. Post-treatment weight gain can also impact on primary endpoints such as tumor recurrence and overall survival. Parameters thought to impact weight gain include menopausal status, age and chemotherapy regimen. Using meta-regression, we studied the effect of age on weight change by menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen.

Twenty-four studies were identified, and extracted for weight change, mean/median age, menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen. A meta-regression was performed using a random-effects model for high heterogeneity and fixed-effects inverse-variance model for low heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses by menopausal status and chemotherapy regimen were conducted. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

There exists no relationship between weight change and age (β=0.00; P=0.987). Stratifying by menopausal status (β=0.05 and P=0.150 for premenopausal patients; β=0.09 and P=0.588 for postmenopausal patients) and chemotherapy regimens (β=-0.07 and P=0.562 for patients receiving CMF alone; β=0.08 and P=0.707 for patients receiving CMF in addition to others; β=0.02 and P=0.807 for patients not receiving CMF), there likewise was no relationship between weight change and age.

Management of weight gain due to chemotherapy has been focused on relatively young women who are generally at higher risk of mortality and tumor recurrence. However, our results suggest that age should not be used for differential care.