KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to investigate the association between BMI and breast cancer and to provide updated insights through a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Researchers noticed a heightened risk of breast cancer in obese patients; further investigation is ongoing.
Breast cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in women globally, has prompted heightened scrutiny regarding its association with body mass index (BMI). The evolving nature of this link necessitates a comprehensive assessment. Nikolaos Tzenios and his team aimed to access the nuanced relationship between BMI and breast cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis, addressing the ongoing debate and contributing updated insights to the field.
Researchers performed an inclusive analysis, conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis in adherence to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A meticulous search across Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases was executed to identify eligible articles exploring the impact of BMI on breast cancer, utilizing appropriate Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). The risk assessment for the included studies was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa checklist. The meta-analysis was executed through Review Manager 5.3 software to synthesize and interpret the findings.
About 46 studies meeting the selection criteria were included in the current review. Among these, 50% (n = 23) identified the HER2 type of breast cancer, followed by triple-negative and HR-positive cases. Obesity prevalence was significantly higher in the case group compared to the control group (P < .001). Medium heterogeneity (I2 = 72%) was observed among the 14 studies. No significant relation between overweight and breast cancer in women was found in this review (P > .05), with medium heterogeneity (I2 = 89%) among the 14 studies. However, upon addressing publication bias, a significant relationship between overweightness and breast cancer in women emerged (P = .0005).
The study concluded that obese breast cancer patients face a heightened risk, potentially leading to increased challenges during surgery and radiation. The findings underscore the substantial risk elevation associated with obesity and overweight in women, emphasizing the need for further research to confirm these conclusions and unravel the underlying pathogenic pathways.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38306546/
Tzenios N, Tazanios ME, Chahine M, et.al (2024). The impact of BMI on breast cancer – an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Feb 2;103(5):e36831. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036831. PMID: 38306546; PMCID: PMC10843423.
