The Close Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Hormone Receptor-Positive Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
• Early-stage breast cancer patients may have a higher prevalence of MS due to various factors, including treatment side effects and lifestyle.
• Understanding the interplay between MS and breast cancer is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with early-stage breast cancer.
• To investigate clinicopathological factors, including anthropometric measurements and hormonotherapy, as potential confounders of MS in this population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study design.
• Inclusion of patients diagnosed with early breast cancer.
• Division of patients into groups based on MS diagnosis, with data collection on clinical factors and body mass index (BMI).

Main Results:

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) was diagnosed in 128 out of 207 (61.8%) early breast cancer patients.
• MS was more prevalent in the hormone receptor-positive subgroup and in patients receiving adjuvant hormonotherapy.
• Significant differences were observed in age, BMI, and estrogen/progesterone receptor status between patients with and without MS.

Conclusions:

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) is widespread among women with early-stage breast cancer.
• Lifestyle modifications that address obesity and related adverse outcomes should be prioritized in clinical practice for these patients.