Association of Obesity with Premenopausal Breast Cancer: Analyses on Molecular Subtypes Metabolic markers in BC
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common disease among women. Some scientific data claim the protective effect of obesity in premenopausal BC, whereas others do not agree. In this study, we studied the relationships between premenopausal BC and obesity by molecular subtypes.
Methods: We interviewed 74 women diagnosed with early and advanced stages of BC. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), cancer antigen-15.3 (CA-15.3), and insulin were determined by immunoassay. Biochemical analyses were used to check serum levels of glucose and lipid profiles. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Our results suggested that obesity had a positive effect on the proliferative activity of the tumor (P = 0.001), tumor size (P = 0.001), and the state of progesterone hormone receptors (P = 0.013). Differences in lipid profile indicators were observed between patients with and without obesity, as well as between molecular subtypes (P < 0.05). An increase in the level of IL-6, glucose, and HOMA-IR was observed in Luminal B and HER2/neu subtypes in obese. (P < 0.05). In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, only the glucose level was significantly associated with obesity (P < 0.05). A moderate inverse correlation was found between the CA 15-3 level and BMI (r = -0.40, P = 0.008).
Conclusion: We conclude the putative role of obesity in the development of BC and formed molecular subtypes in the premenopausal period. Metabolic monitoring, especially glucose and lipid profiles, is useful for premenopausal BC patients with obesity to evaluate risk for specific molecular subtypes.
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