Excess body weight and second primary cancer risk after breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies

Relative risk of second malignant neoplasms highest among young adult cancer patients - a population-based registry study in Finland

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to explore the incidence of second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) among adult cancer patients in Finland diagnosed with their first primary cancer (FPC) in 1992-2021.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study used data from the population-based Finnish Cancer Registry (FCR). Risk estimates were calculated using the standardised incidence ratio (SIR), the ratio of observed second cancers compared to the expected numbers assuming the same cancer incidence as the corresponding sex-age-calendar year -split of the general population.

RESULTS

A total of 573,379 FPCs were diagnosed during 1992-2021. During the follow-up, 60,464 SMNs were diagnosed. Male cancer patients had neither a decreased nor an increased risk (SIR 1.00 [95% CI, 0.99-1.01]) and female patients had an 8% increased risk (SIR 1.08 [95% CI, 1.06-1.09]) of developing any SMN compared to a FPC in the general population. The highest SIR of any SMN was observed in patients aged 20-39 -years at FPC diagnosis, and the SIR decreased by increasing age at diagnosis. Patients with lymphoid and haematopoietic tissue neoplasms, cancers of the mouth and pharynx, endocrine glands, respiratory and intrathoracic organs, skin, and urinary organs had the highest SIRs, while patients with cancers of the male genital organs and the female breast had the lowest SIRs.

INTERPRETATION

Elevated SIRs were observed in cancer patients diagnosed at an early age and for FPCs known to be in large part attributable to lifestyle factors, which highlights the importance of monitoring and encouraging lifestyle changes.

The interrelationship between obesity and race in breast cancer prognosis: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with an increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women and may contribute to worse outcomes. Black women experience higher obesity and breast cancer mortality rates than non-Black women. We examined associations between race, obesity, and clinical tumor stage with breast cancer prognosis.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study in 1,110 breast cancer patients, using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses to evaluate the effects of obesity, race/ethnicity, and clinical tumor stage on progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS).

RESULTS

22% of participants were Black, 64% were Hispanic White, and 14% were non-Hispanic White or another race. 39% of participants were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2). In univariable analyses, tumor stage III-IV was associated with worse PFS and OS compared to tumor stage 0-II (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.52-6.22 for PFS and HR = 5.92, 95% CI = 4.00-8.77 for OS). Multivariable analysis revealed an association between Black race and worse PFS in obese (HR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.06-4.51) and non-obese (HR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.05-4.21) women with tumors staged 0-II. Obesity alone was not associated with worse PFS or OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest a complex interrelationship between obesity and race in breast cancer prognosis. The association between the Black race and worse PFS in tumor stages 0-II underscores the importance of early intervention in this group. Future studies are warranted to evaluate whether alternative measures of body composition and biomarkers are better prognostic indicators than BMI among Black breast cancer survivors.

Risks of second primary cancers among 584,965 female and male breast cancer survivors in England: a 25-year retrospective cohort study

Background

Second primary cancers (SPCs) after breast cancer (BC) present an increasing public health burden, with little existing research on socio-demographic, tumour, and treatment effects. We addressed this in the largest BC survivor cohort to date, using a novel linkage of National Disease Registration Service datasets.

Methods

The cohort included 581,403 female and 3562 male BC survivors diagnosed between 1995 and 2019. We estimated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for combined and site-specific SPCs using incidences for England, overall and by age at BC and socioeconomic status. We estimated incidences and Kaplan-Meier cumulative risks stratified by age at BC, and assessed risk variation by socio-demographic, tumour, and treatment characteristics using Cox regression.

Findings

Both genders were at elevated contralateral breast (SIR: 2.02 (95% CI: 1.99-2.06) females; 55.4 (35.5-82.4) males) and non-breast (1.10 (1.09-1.11) females, 1.10 (1.00-1.20) males) SPC risks. Non-breast SPC risks were higher for females younger at BC diagnosis (SIR: 1.34 (1.31-1.38) <50 y, 1.07 (1.06-1.09) ≥50 y) and more socioeconomically deprived (SIR: 1.00 (0.98-1.02) least deprived quintile, 1.34 (1.30-1.37) most).

Interpretation

Enhanced SPC surveillance may benefit BC survivors, although specific recommendations require more detailed multifactorial risk and cost-benefit analyses. The associations between deprivation and SPC risks could provide clinical management insights.

Funding

CRUK Catalyst Award CanGene-CanVar (C61296/A27223). Cancer Research UK grant: PPRPGM-Nov 20∖100,002. This work was supported by core funding from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR203312)]. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Interrelationship between Obesity and Race in Breast Cancer Prognosis: A Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose

Obesity is associated with an increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women and may contribute to worse outcomes. Black women experience higher obesity and breast cancer mortality rates than non-Black women. We examined associations between race, obesity, and clinical tumor stage with breast cancer prognosis.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study in 1,110 breast cancer patients, using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses to evaluate the effects of obesity, race/ethnicity, and clinical tumor stage on progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS).

Results

22% of participants were Black, 64% were Hispanic White, and 14% were non-Hispanic White or another race. 39% of participants were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2). In univariable analyses, tumor stage III-IV was associated with worse PFS and OS compared to tumor stage 0-II (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.52-6.22 for PFS and HR = 5.92, 95% CI = 4.00-8.77 for OS). Multivariable analysis revealed an association between Black race and worse PFS in obese (HR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.06-4.51) and non-obese (HR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.05-4.21) women with tumors staged 0-II. Obesity alone was not associated with worse PFS or OS.

Conclusion

Results suggest a complex interrelationship between obesity and race in breast cancer prognosis. The association between Black race and worse PFS in tumor stages 0-II underscores the importance of early intervention in this group. Future studies are warranted to evaluate whether alternative measures of body composition and biomarkers are better prognostic indicators than BMI among Black breast cancer survivors.

Association between high body mass index and prognosis of patients with early-stage breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

A high body mass index (BMI) can indicate overweight or obesity and is a crucial risk factor for breast cancer survivors. However, the association between high BMI and prognosis in early-stage breast cancer (EBC) remains unclear. We aimed to assess the effects of high BMI on the prognosis of patients with EBC.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and proceedings of major oncological conferences related to the effects of BMI on the prognosis of breast cancer were searched up to November 2021. Fixed- and random-effects models were used for meta-analyses. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were extracted from the included literature.

Results

Twenty retrospective cohort studies with 33,836 patients with EBC were included. Overweight patients had worse DFS (HR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.27, P = 0.002) and OS (HR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.09-1.33, P < 0.001). Obesity also had adverse effects on DFS (HR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.29, P = 0.001) and OS (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17-1.45, P < 0.001). Likewise, patients with high BMI had worse DFS (HR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.08-1.26, P < 0.001) and OS (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.14-1.39, P < 0.001). In subgroup analyses, overweight had adverse effects on DFS (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04-1.18, P = 0.001) and OS (HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11-1.26, P < 0.001) in multivariate analyses, whereas the relationship that overweight had negative effects on DFS (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.99-1.48, P = 0.058) and OS (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.92-2.10, P = 0.123) was not statistically significant in univariate analysis. By contrast, obesity had adverse effects on DFS (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.38, P = 0.004 and HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08-1.22, P < 0.001) and OS (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.15-1.54, P < 0.001 and HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.15-1.31, P < 0.001) in univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively.

Conclusions

Compared with normal weight, increased body weight (overweight, obesity, and high BMI) led to worse DFS and OS in patients with EBC. Once validated, these results should be considered in the development of prevention programs.

The antiproliferative potential and mechanism of action of metformin in MCF-7 cells

Aim

The current study aimed to investigate the potential antiproliferative activity of metformin, the effective concentration range, and the mechanism of action.

Materials & methods

Human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 were treated with a serial dilution of metformin (10-150 μM) for 24 and 48 h. Potential antiproliferative activity of metformin and its ability in inducing cellular apoptosis and autophagy were also investigated.

Results

Metformin inhibited MCF-7 proliferation in a concentration and time dependent manner, with 80 μM as the most effective concentration. Compared with nontreated cells, metformin induced significant levels of autophagy and apoptosis, which were confirmed by the reduction of mTOR and BCL-2 protein expression.

Conclusion

The study confirms the antiproliferative activity of metformin, which may likely occur through AMPK signaling pathway.

Leptin signaling in breast cancer and its crosstalk with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ

Obesity may create a mitogenic microenvironment that influences tumor initiation and progression. The obesity-associated adipokine, leptin regulates energy metabolism and has been implicated in cancer development. It has been shown that some cell types other than adipocytes can express leptin and leptin receptors in tumor microenvironments. It has been shown that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) agonists can affect leptin levels and vice versa leptin can affect PPARs. Activation of PPARs affects the expression of several genes involved in aspects of lipid metabolism. In addition, PPARs regulate cancer cell progression through their action on the tumor cell proliferation, metabolism, and cellular environment. Some studies have shown an association between obesity and several types of cancer, including breast cancer. There is some evidence that suggests that there is crosstalk between PPARs and leptin during the development of breast cancer. Through a systematic review of previous studies, we have reviewed the published relevant articles regarding leptin signaling in breast cancer and its crosstalk with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ.

Risks of second non-breast primaries following breast cancer in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Second primary cancer incidence is rising among breast cancer survivors. We examined the risks of non-breast second primaries, in combination and at specific cancer sites, through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, seeking studies published by March 2022. We included studies that reported standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), with associated standard errors, assessing the combined risk of second non-breast primaries following breast cancer. We performed meta-analyses of combined second primary risks, stratifying by age, follow-up duration, and geographic region. We also assessed second primary risks at several specific sites, stratifying by age. The inverse variance method with DerSimonian-Laird estimators was used in all meta-analyses, assuming a random-effects model. Associated biases and study quality were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

RESULTS

One prospective and twenty-seven retrospective cohort studies were identified. SIRs for second non-breast primaries combined ranged from 0.84 to 1.84. The summary SIR estimate was 1.24 (95% CI 1.14-1.36, I2: 99%). This varied by age: the estimate was 1.59 (95% CI 1.36-1.85) when breast cancer was diagnosed before age 50, which was significantly higher than in women first diagnosed at 50 or over (SIR: 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.36, p for difference: < 0.001). SPC risks were also significantly higher when based on Asian, rather than European, registries (Asia-SIR: 1.47, 95% CI 1.29-1.67. Europe-SIR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.04-1.28). There were significantly increased risks of second thyroid (SIR: 1.89, 95% CI 1.49-2.38), corpus uteri (SIR: 1.84, 95% CI 1.53-2.23), ovary (SIR: 1.53, 95% CI 1.35-1.73), kidney (SIR: 1.43, 95% CI 1.17-1.73), oesophagus (SIR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.26-1.55), skin (melanoma) (SIR: 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-1.52), blood (leukaemia) (SIR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.17-1.45), lung (SIR: 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.51), stomach (SIR: 1.23, 95% CI 1.12-1.36) and bladder (SIR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.26) primaries.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer survivors are at significantly increased risk of second primaries at many sites. Risks are higher for those diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 and in Asian breast cancer survivors compared to European breast cancer survivors. This study is limited by a lack of data on potentially confounding variables. The conclusions may inform clinical management decisions following breast cancer, although specific clinical recommendations lie outside the scope of this review.

Ten-Year Probabilities of Death Due to Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease among Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed in North-Eastern Spain

Mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), second tumours, and other causes is of clinical interest in the long-term follow-up of breast cancer (BC) patients. Using a cohort of BC patients (N = 6758) from the cancer registries of Girona and Tarragona (north-eastern Spain), we studied the 10-year probabilities of death due to BC, other cancers, and CVD according to stage at diagnosis and hormone receptor (HR) status. Among the non-BC causes of death (N = 720), CVD (N = 218) surpassed other cancers (N = 196). The BC cohort presented a significantly higher risk of death due to endometrial and ovarian cancers than the general population. In Stage I, HR- patients showed a 1.72-fold higher probability of all-cause death and a 6.11-fold higher probability of breast cancer death than HR+ patients. In Stages II-III, the probability of CVD death (range 3.11% to 3.86%) surpassed that of other cancers (range 0.54% to 3.11%). In Stage IV patients, the probability of death from any cancer drove the mortality risk. Promoting screening and preventive measures in BC patients are warranted, since long-term control should encompass early detection of second neoplasms, ruling out the possibility of late recurrence. In patients diagnosed in Stages II-III at an older age, surveillance for preventing late cardiotoxicity is crucial.

Nutritional Factors during and after Cancer: Impacts on Survival and Quality of Life

The French National Cancer Institute conducted a collective expertise study with researchers and clinical experts from the French Network for Nutrition And Cancer Research (NACRe Network). The objective was to update the state of knowledge on the impacts of nutritional factors on clinical endpoints during or after cancer. Data from 150 meta-analyses, pooled analyses or intervention trials and 93 cohort studies were examined; they concerned 8 nutritional factors, 6 clinical events and 20 cancer locations. This report shows that some nutritional factors have impacts on mortality and on the risks of recurrence or second primary cancer in cancer patients. Therefore, high-risk nutritional conditions can be encountered for certain cancer sites: from the diagnosis and throughout the health care pathways, weight loss (lung and esophageal cancers), malnutrition (lung, esophageal, colorectal, pancreatic, gastric and liver cancers), weight gain (colorectal, breast and kidney cancers) and alcohol consumption (upper aerodigestive cancers) should be monitored; and after cancer treatments, excess weight should be detected (colorectal, breast and kidney cancers). These situations require nutritional assessments, and even support or management by health care professionals, in the context of tertiary prevention. This report also highlights some limitations regarding the existing literature and some needs for future research.

Awareness of link between obesity and breast cancer risk is associated with willingness to participate in weight loss intervention

PURPOSE

To assess knowledge of obesity-associated cancer risk, self-awareness of BMI status, and willingness to engage in weight loss intervention in breast cancer survivors with overweight and obesity as a companion study for a novel weight loss program using a telehealth platform (NCT04855552).

METHODS

Breast cancer survivors with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² were surveyed to assess self-perception of BMI, knowledge of obesity-related cancer risk, and willingness to participate in weight loss programs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with willingness to participate.

RESULTS

Of the 122 participants, 73 (59.8%) had BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m² (overweight) and 49 (40.2%) had BMI ≥ 30 (obesity). Patients with obesity were more likely to underestimate their BMI than those with overweight, 40.8% vs. 23.3% (p = 0.03). The majority (82.0%) indicated awareness that obesity increases breast cancer risk and 57.4% expressed interest in a weight loss program. Patients with knowledge of obesity-related breast cancer risk (91.4% willing vs. 69.2% not willing, p < 0.01) were more willing to participate in a weight loss program on univariable and multivariable analyses (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our results underscore the importance of raising patients' awareness of obesity-related health risks and individual BMI category. Future work in the development of better education and communication tools to improve awareness will likely improve the adoption rate of healthy lifestyles in at-risk patients.

Notch signaling in female cancers: a multifaceted node to overcome drug resistance

Drug resistance is one of the main challenges in cancer therapy, including in the treatment of female-specific malignancies, which account for more than 60% of cancer cases among women. Therefore, elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms is an urgent need in gynecological cancers to foster novel therapeutic approaches. Notably, Notch signaling, including either receptors or ligands, has emerged as a promising candidate given its multifaceted role in almost all of the hallmarks of cancer. Concerning the connection between Notch pathway and drug resistance in the afore-mentioned tumor contexts, several studies focused on the Notch-dependent regulation of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulation or the induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), both features implicated in either intrinsic or acquired resistance. Indeed, the present review provides an up-to-date overview of the published results on Notch signaling and EMT- or CSC-driven drug resistance. Moreover, other drug resistance-related mechanisms are examined such as the involvement of the Notch pathway in drug efflux and tumor microenvironment. Collectively, there is a long way to go before every facet will be fully understood; nevertheless, some small pieces are falling neatly into place. Overall, the main aim of this review is to provide strong evidence in support of Notch signaling inhibition as an effective strategy to evade or reverse resistance in female-specific cancers.

Detection of genetic mutations in patients with breast cancer from Saudi Arabia using Ion AmpliSeq™ Cancer Hotspot Panel v.2.0

Next-Generation Sequencing allows for quick and precise sequencing of multiple genes concurrently. Recently, this technology has been employed for the identification of novel gene mutations responsible for disease manifestation among breast cancer (BC) patients, the most common type of cancer amongst Arabian women, and the major cause of disease-associated death in women worldwide. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 32 Saudi Arabian BC patients with histologically confirmed invasive BC stages I-III and IV, as well from 32 healthy Saudi Arabian women using a QIAamp^® DNA Mini Kit. The isolated DNA was quantified using a Qubit™ dsDNA BR Assay Kit with a Qubit 2.0 Fluorometer. Ion semiconductor sequencing technology with an Ion S5 System and AmpliSeq™ Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 were utilized to analyze ~2,800 mutations described in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer from 50 oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Ion Reporter Software v.5.6 was used to evaluate the genomic alterations in all the samples after alignment to the hg19 human reference genome. The results showed that out of the 50 genes, 26 mutations, including 17 (65%) missense point mutations (single nucleotide variants), and 9 (35%) frameshift (insertion/deletion) mutations, were identified in 11 genes across the cohort in 61 samples (95%). Mutations were predominantly focused on two genes, PIK3CA and TP53, in the BC genomes of the sample set. PIK3CA mutation, c.1173A>G located in exon 9, was identified in 15 patients (46.9%). The TP53 mutations detected were a missense mutation (c.215C>G) in 26 patients (86.70%) and 1 frameshift mutation (c.215_216insG) in 1 patient (3.33%), located within exon 3 and 5, respectively. This study revealed specific mutation profiles for every BC patient, Thus, the results showed that Ion Torrent DNA Sequencing technology may be a possible diagnostic and prognostic method for developing personalized therapy based on the patient's individual BC genome.

Successful treatment of quadriparesis from radiation myelopathy with bevacizumab in a patient with metastatic breast cancer

Radiation myelopathy (RM) is rare condition defined as injury to the spinal cord by ionising radiation. Due to improved survival in patients with advanced malignancies, there is a renewed interest in recognition and treatment of RM. There are very few reports on treatment of RM. A 64-year-old woman with metastatic oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor weakly positive and human epidermal growth factor 2 negative breast, stereotactic radiosurgeries to brain metastases and a history of reradiation to the cervical spinal cord presented with neck pain, arm weakness, hyperreflexia and gait ataxia. RM was suspected and the patient was started on high dose corticosteroid therapy. However, the patient's condition deteriorated and she developed quadriparesis. A timely treatment with an antivascular endothelial growth factor antibody, bevacizumab reversed her neurological deficits and preserved her walking ability. Our case illustrates a prompt diagnosis and successful treatment of RM with bevacizumab.

Obesity and endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer: Mechanistic insights and perspectives

The incidence of obesity, a recognized risk factor for various metabolic and chronic diseases, including numerous types of cancers, has risen dramatically over the recent decades worldwide. To date, convincing research in this area has painted a complex picture about the adverse impact of high body adiposity on breast cancer onset and progression. However, an emerging but overlooked issue of clinical significance is the limited efficacy of the conventional endocrine therapies with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) or degraders (SERDs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in patients affected by breast cancer and obesity. The mechanisms behind the interplay between obesity and endocrine therapy resistance are likely to be multifactorial. Therefore, what have we actually learned during these years and which are the main challenges in the field? In this review, we will critically discuss the epidemiological evidence linking obesity to endocrine therapeutic responses and we will outline the molecular players involved in this harmful connection. Given the escalating global epidemic of obesity, advances in understanding this critical node will offer new precision medicine-based therapeutic interventions and more appropriate dosing schedule for treating patients affected by obesity and with breast tumors resistant to endocrine therapies.

Person-centered communication about weight and weight management: Focus group discussions in a diverse sample of women with nonmetastatic breast cancer and obesity

BACKGROUND

Women with obesity are at higher risk for high-grade and/or advanced-stage breast cancer in comparison with women without obesity. Many women with a high body mass index (BMI) at breast cancer diagnosis experience further weight gain during and after treatment. This study investigated Black and White patient perspectives on conversations with their oncologists about weight and weight management.

METHODS

Focus groups using a virtual platform (Zoom) were conducted with women after primary treatment for stage I to III breast cancer who were 21 years or older and had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² : 2 with Black women (n = 12) and 2 with White women (n = 14).

RESULTS

Participants asked that their oncologists be "transparent" about weight gain as a potential side effect of their cancer treatment and how excess weight might affect their prognosis and survival. They asked to be "seen as an individual" to facilitate both person-centered and culturally appropriate conversations about behavioral changes needed for weight management. Participants urged clinicians to take the lead in initiating conversations about weight to underscore its importance in cancer care and survivorship. They welcomed actionable recommendations about nutrition and exercise from either the oncology clinician or a specialist. Participants offered specific suggestions on how clinicians could initiate weight-related conversations, beginning with questions eliciting patients' perspectives on their weight and lifestyle.

CONCLUSIONS

Many women with early-stage breast cancer and obesity have concerns about weight and weight gain and urge their oncologists to use an active and personalized approach in recommending and supporting efforts at weight management.

LAY SUMMARY

Focus group discussions with Black and White women with early-stage breast cancer and obesity have elicited patient perspectives on conversations with their oncologists about weight and weight management. Many patients have concerns about weight and weight gain and urge their oncologists to use an active and personalized approach in recommending and supporting efforts at weight management.

Evolution of physical activity and body weight changes in breast cancer survivors five years after diagnosis - VICAN 2 & 5 French national surveys

Background

Regular physical activity (PA) and healthy body weight have proven benefits on survival in breast cancer (BC) survivors. We aimed to define predictors of long-term PA and weight gain in a representative sample of BC survivors.

Methods

Data were analysed from 723 women with BC who participated in both the 2012 and 2015 French National VICAN surveys.

Results

Five years after diagnosis, 26.0, 60.6, and 13.4 % of BC survivors reported regular, occasional and no PA, respectively. Moreover, 27.4 % had a weight gain ≥5 kg. In multinomial logistic regressions, regular and occasional PA were both associated with not having depressive disorders, with higher post-traumatic growth, and with a healthy and stable Body Mass Index. Occasional PA was associated with the use of non-conventional medicine, and regular PA with better mental quality of life and normal arm mobility. Weight gain ≥5 kg was associated with younger age, heavier body weight at diagnosis, and lymphedema 5 years after diagnosis.

Conclusions

Mental well-being is associated with successful long-term patient investment in PA. Psychological support and early management of disease sequelae are needed to help ensure BC survivors engage in and maintain healthy lifestyles.

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A quarter of breast cancer survivors at 5 years reported regular physical activity.

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Occasional physical activity was associated with use of non-conventional medicine.

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Mental well-being was associated with long-term investment in physical activity.

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Early sequelae managing may help survivors engage in and maintain healthy lifestyles.

Risks of subsequent primary cancers among breast cancer survivors according to hormone receptor status

BACKGROUND

This study was aimed at examining the risks of subsequent primary cancers (SPCs) among breast cancer survivors by hormone receptor (HR) status and age at diagnosis.

METHODS

Data from 12 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries were used to identify 431,222 breast cancer survivors (at least 1 year) diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 84 years from 1992 to 2015. Risks of SPCs were measured as the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and the excess absolute risk (EAR) per 10,000 person-years. Poisson regression was used to test the difference in SIRs by HR status.

RESULTS

In comparison with the general population, the risk of new cancer diagnoses among survivors was 20% higher for those with HR-positive cancers (SIR, 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.21; EAR, 23.3/10,000 person-years) and 44% higher for those with HR-negative cancers (SIR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.41-1.47; EAR, 45.2/10,000 person-years), with the risk difference between HR statuses statistically significant. The higher risk after HR-negative cancer was driven by acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and breast, ovarian, peritoneal, and lung cancers. By age at diagnosis, the total EAR per 10,000 person-years ranged from 15.8 (95% CI, 14.1-17.5; SIR, 1.11) among late-onset (age, 50-84 years) HR-positive survivors to 69.4 (95% CI, 65.1-73.7; SIR, 2.24) among early-onset (age, 20-49 years) HR-negative survivors, with subsequent breast cancer representing 73% to 80% of the total EAR. After breast cancer, the greatest EARs were for ovarian cancer among early-onset HR-negative survivors, lung cancer among early- and late-onset HR-negative survivors, and uterine corpus cancer among late-onset HR-positive survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

Risks of SPCs after breast cancer differ substantially by subtype and age. This suggests that more targeted approaches for cancer prevention and early-detection strategies are needed in survivorship care planning.

Down-regulated FST expression is involved in the poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more commonly associated with young patients, featuring high histological grade, visceral metastasis, and distant recurrence. Follistatin (FST) is a secreted extracellular regulatory protein that antagonizes TGF-β superfamily such as activin and TGF-β related superfamily such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). The implication of FST in the proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of solid tumors documents good or poor outcome of patients with BC. However, the role of FST in TNBC remains unclear.

Methods

Data of 935 patients with breast cancer (BC) were extracted from TCGA. Case–control study, Kaplan–Meier, uni-multivariate COX, and ROC curve were utilized to investigate the relationship between FST expression and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of BC. Functional studies were used to analyze the effect of FST expression on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of TNBC cell lines. Bioinformatic methods such as volcanoplot, GO annd KEGG enrichment, and protein–protein interactions (PPI) analyses were conducted to further confirm the different roles of FST in the apoptotic pathways among mesenchymal and mesenchymal stem-like cells of TNBC.

Results

Data from TCGA showed that low FST expression correlated with poor prognosis (for univariate analysis, HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27–0.82, p = 0.008; for multivariate analysis, HR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.21–0.75, p = 0.004). Low FST expression provided high predicted value of poor prognosis in TNBC amongst BCs. FST knockdown promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of BT549 and HS578T cell lines. FST inhibited the apoptosis of mesenchymal cells by targeting BMP7.

Conclusions

Low FST expression is associated with poor prognosis of patients with TNBC. FST expressions exhibit the anisotropic roles of apoptosis between mesenchymal and mesenchymal stem-like cells but promote the proliferation, migration, invasion in both of two subtypes of TNBC in vitro. FST may be a subtype-heterogeneous biomarker for monitoring the progress of TNBC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01977-x.

[Impact of nutritional factors during and after cancer]

Nutritional factors (diet, weight, alcohol, physical activity) are identified as factors having an impact on the onset of several cancer sites. Less abundant scientific data also underline their impact on the tumor progression. A review of the scientific literature was carried out by a group of experts established by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) to better document the influence of nutritional factors during and after cancer on outcomes such as overall mortality, cancer specific mortality, recurrence, second primary cancers and quality of life. This analysis of the literature completes messages of reduction of alcohol consumption, prevention of undernutrition or excess weight and adherence to dietary recommendations, avoiding the use of dietary supplements, fasting or restrictive diets and strengthens messages promoting the practice of physical activity and the fight against sedentary lifestyle.

Body Mass Index and Risk of Second Cancer Among Women With Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer survivors are at increased risk for developing second primary cancers compared with the general population. Little is known about whether body mass index (BMI) increases this risk. We examined the association between BMI and second cancers among women with incident invasive breast cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort included 6481 patients from Kaiser Permanente Colorado and Washington of whom 822 (12.7%) developed a second cancer (mean follow-up was 88.0 months). BMI at the first cancer was extracted from the medical record. Outcomes included: 1) all second cancers, 2) obesity-related second cancers, 3) any second breast cancer, and 4) estrogen receptor-positive second breast cancers. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for second cancers associated with BMI adjusted for site, diagnosis year, treatment, demographic, and tumor characteristics.

RESULTS

The mean age at initial breast cancer diagnosis was 61.2 (SD = 11.8) years. Most cases were overweight (33.4%) or obese (33.8%) and diagnosed at stage I (62.0%). In multivariable models, for every 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI, the risk of any second cancer diagnosis increased by 7% (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.14); 13% (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.21) for obesity-related cancers, 11% (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.21) for a second breast cancer, and 15% (RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.27) for a second estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a statistically significant increased risk of second cancers associated with increasing BMI. These findings have important public health implications given the prevalence of overweight and obesity in breast cancer survivors and underscore the need for effective prevention strategies.

Optimising weight-loss interventions in cancer patients-A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background

Excess weight has been associated with increased morbidity and a worse prognosis in adult patients with early-stage cancer. The optimal lifestyle interventions to optimize anthropometric measures amongst cancer patients and survivors remain inconsistent.

Objective

To conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of exercise and dietary interventions alone or in combination on anthropometric measures of adult cancer patients and survivors.

Methods

A systematic search of Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Trials Registry was performed. Outcomes of interest included changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. Screening and data collection were performed by two reviewers. Bayesian NMAs were performed.

Results

Overall, 98 RCTs were included; 75 were incorporated in NMAs (n = 12,199). Groups of intervention strategies included: 3 exercise interventions, 8 dietary interventions, 7 combination interventions of diet and exercise and standard care. Median intervention duration was 26 weeks. NMA suggested that diet alone (mean difference [MD] -2.25kg, 95% CrI -3.43 to -0.91kg) and combination strategies (MD -2.52kg, 95% CrI -3.54 to -1.62kg) were associated with more weight loss compared to standard care. All dietary interventions achieved a similar magnitude of weight loss (MD range from -2.03kg to -2.52kg). Both diet alone and combination strategies demonstrated greater BMI reductions versus standard care, and each of diet alone, exercise alone and combination strategies demonstrated greater reductions in waist circumference than standard care.

Conclusion

Diet and exercise alone or in combination are effective lifestyle interventions to improve anthropometric measures in cancer patients and survivors. All reputable diets appear to be similarly effective to achieve weight loss.

Care for Breast Cancer Survivors

The number of cancer survivors is increasing globally. More than 15.5 million Americans in 2016 and 1.3 million Koreans in 2013 were living with cancer history. This growing population is expected to increase due to marked development of cancer treatment and early detection. Especially, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in Korean women with relatively favorable 5-year survival rate. Cancer survivors generally face various physical, psychological, and social problems including late-effect or long-term effect after cancer treatment and high risk for second primary cancer and comorbid chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and bone health. Breast cancer survivors also encounter wide range of health problems. To satisfy their complex needs, comprehensive supports are required. We categorized the strategy of comprehensive care for breast cancer survivors into (1) Surveillance for primary cancer, (2) Screening of second primary cancer, (3) Management of comorbid health condition, (4) Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, and (5) Preventive care. In the future, studies for providing best comprehensive care for breast cancer survivors are needed according to the individuals' demand.

Association of First Primary Cancer With Risk of Subsequent Primary Cancer Among Survivors of Adult-Onset Cancers in the United States

IMPORTANCE

The number of cancer survivors who develop new cancers is projected to increase, but comprehensive data on the risk of subsequent primary cancers (SPCs) among survivors of adult-onset cancers are limited.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the overall and cancer type-specific risks of SPCs among adult-onset cancer survivors by first primary cancer (FPC) types and sex.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A retrospective cohort study from 12 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries in the United States, that included 1 537 101 persons aged 20 to 84 years diagnosed with FPCs from 1992-2011 (followed up until December 31, 2017) and who survived at least 5 years.

EXPOSURES

First primary cancer.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Incidence and mortality of SPCs per 10 000 person-years; standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) compared with those expected in the general population.

RESULTS

Among 1 537 101 survivors (mean age, 60.4 years; 48.8% women), 156 442 SPC cases and 88 818 SPC deaths occurred during 11 197 890 person-years of follow-up (mean, 7.3 years). Among men, the overall risk of developing any SPCs was statistically significantly higher for 18 of the 30 FPC types, and risk of dying from any SPCs was statistically significantly higher for 27 of 30 FPC types as compared with risks in the general population. Among women, the overall risk of developing any SPCs was statistically significantly higher for 21 of the 31 FPC types, and risk of dying from any SPCs was statistically significantly higher for 28 of 31 FPC types as compared with risks in the general population. The highest overall SIR and SMR were estimated among survivors of laryngeal cancer (SIR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.68-1.83]; incidence, 373 per 10 000 person-years) and gallbladder cancer (SMR, 3.82 [95% CI, 3.31-4.39]; mortality, 341 per 10 000 person-years) among men, and among survivors of laryngeal cancer (SIR, 2.48 [95% CI, 2.27-2.72]; incidence, 336 per 10 000 person-years; SMR, 4.56 [95% CI, 4.11-5.06]; mortality, 268 per 10 000 person-years) among women. Substantial variation existed in the associations of specific types of FPCs with specific types of SPC risk; however, only a few smoking- or obesity-associated SPCs, such as lung, urinary bladder, oral cavity/pharynx, colorectal, pancreatic, uterine corpus, and liver cancers constituted considerable proportions of the total incidence and mortality, with lung cancer alone accounting for 31% to 33% of mortality from all SPCs.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among survivors of adult-onset cancers in the United States, several types of primary cancer were significantly associated with greater risk of developing and dying from an SPC, compared with the general population. Cancers associated with smoking or obesity comprised substantial proportions of overall SPC incidence and mortality among all survivors and highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance and efforts to prevent new cancers among survivors.

Obesity and Breast Cancer: A Case of Inflamed Adipose Tissue

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women and a worse prognosis for all major breast cancer subtypes regardless of menopausal status. While the link between obesity and the pathogenesis of breast cancer is clear, the molecular mechanism of this association is not completely understood due to the complexity of both obesity and breast cancer. The aim of this review is to highlight the association between obesity and breast cancer and discuss the literature, which indicates that this association is due to chronic adipose tissue inflammation. We will discuss the epidemiological data for the association between breast cancer incidence and progression as well as the potential molecular mechanisms for this association. We will focus on the role of inflammation within the adipose tissue during the pathogenesis of breast cancer. A better understanding of how obesity and adipose tissue inflammation affects the pathogenesis of breast cancer will lead to new strategies to reduce breast cancer risk and improve patient outcomes for obese patients.

Uterine cancer in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Epidemiological evidence on the risk factors for uterine/endometrial cancer in breast cancer (BCa) survivors is limited and inconsistent. Therefore, we critically reviewed and summarized available evidence related to the risk factors for uterine/endometrial cancer in BCa survivors.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search through PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection/Cited Reference Search, as well as through manual searches of the bibliographies of the articles identified in electronic searches. We included in this review studies that were published up to November 30, 2018 that were accessible in full-text format and were published in English.

RESULTS

Of the 27 eligible studies, 96% had > 700 participants, 74% were prospective cohorts, 70% originated outside of the US, 44% reported as having pre-/postmenopausal women, and 26% reported having racially heterogeneous populations. Risk factors positively associated with uterine/endometrial cancer risk among BCa survivors included age at BCa diagnosis > 50 years, African American race, greater BMI/weight gain, and Tamoxifen treatment. For other lifestyle, reproductive and clinical factors, associations were either not significant (parity) or inconsistent (HRT use, menopausal status, smoking status) or had limited evidence (alcohol intake, family history of cancer, age at first birth, oral contraceptive use, age at menopause, comorbidities).

CONCLUSION

We identified several methodological concerns and limitations across epidemiological studies on potential risk factors for uterine/endometrial cancer in BCa survivors, including lack of details on uterine/endometrial cancer case ascertainment, varying and imprecise definitions of important covariates, insufficient adjustment for potential confounders, and small numbers of uterine/endometrial cancer cases in the overall as well as stratified analyses. Based on the available evidence, older age and higher body weight measures appear to be a shared risk factor for uterine/endometrial cancer in the general population as well as in BCa survivors. In addition, there is suggestive evidence that African American BCa survivors have a higher risk of uterine/endometrial cancer as compared to their White counterparts. There is also evidence that Tamoxifen contributes to uterine/endometrial cancer in BCa survivors. Given limitations of existing studies, more thorough investigation of these associations is warranted to identify additional preventive strategies needed for BCa survivors to reduce uterine/endometrial cancer risk and improve overall survival.

Interfering Role of ERα on Adiponectin Action in Breast Cancer

Obesity is characterized by an excess of adipose tissue, due to adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ producing many bioactive molecules, called adipokines. During obesity, dysfunctional adipocytes alter adipokine secretion, contributing to pathophysiology of obesity-associated diseases, including metabolic syndrome, type 2-diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many types of malignancies. Circulating adiponectin levels are inversely correlated with BMI, thus adiponectin concentrations are lower in obese than normal-weight subjects. Many clinical investigations highlight that low adiponectin levels represent a serious risk factor in breast carcinogenesis, and are associated with the development of more aggressive phenotype. A large-scale meta-analysis suggests that BMI was positively associated with breast cancer mortality in women with ERα-positive disease, regardless menopausal status. This suggests the importance of estrogen signaling contribution in breast tumorigenesis of obese patients. It has been largely demonstrated that adiponectin exerts a protective role in ERα-negative cells, promoting anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects, while controversial data have been reported in ERα-positive cells. Indeed, emerging data provide evidences that adiponectin in obese patients behave as growth factor in ERα-positive breast cancer cells. This addresses how ERα signaling interference may enhance the potential inhibitory threshold of adiponectin in ERα-positive cells. Thus, we may reasonably speculate that the relatively low adiponectin concentrations could be still not adequate to elicit, in ERα-positive breast cancer cells, the same inhibitory effects observed in ERα-negative cells. In the present review we will focus on the molecular mechanisms through which adiponectin affects breast cancer cell behavior in relationship to ERα expression.

Nanotechnology, in silico and endocrine-based strategy for delivering paclitaxel and miRNA: Prospects for the therapeutic management of breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and reoccurring cancers and the second most common reason of death in women. Despite advancements in therapeutic strategies for breast cancer, early tumor recurrence and metastasis in patients indicate resistance to chemotherapeutic medicines, such as paclitaxel due to the abnormal expression of ER and EGF2 in breast cancer cells. Therefore, the development of alternatives to paclitaxel is urgently needed to overcome challenges involving drug resistance. An increasing number of studies has revealed miRNAs as novel natural alternative substances that play a crucial role in regulating several physiological processes and have a close, adverse association with several diseases, including breast cancer. Due to the therapeutic potential of miRNA and paclitaxel in cancer research, the current review focuses on the differential roles of various miRNAs in breast cancer development and treatment. miRNA delivery to a specific target site, the development of paclitaxel and miRNA formulations, and nanotechnological strategies for the delivery of nanopaclitaxel in the management of breast cancer are discussed. These strategies involve improving the cellular uptake and bioavailability and reducing the toxicity of free paclitaxel to achieve accumulation tumor site. Furthermore, a molecular docking study was performed to ascertain the enhanced anticancer activity of the nanoformulation of ANG1005 and Abraxane. An in silico analysis revealed that ANG1005 and Abraxane nanoformulations have superior and significantly enhanced interactions with the proteins α-tubulin and Bcl-2. Therefore, ANG1005 and Abraxane may be more suitable in the therapeutic management of breast cancer than the existing free paclitaxel. miRNAs can revert abnormal gene expression to normalcy; since miRNAs serve as tumor suppressors. Therefore, restoration of particular miRNAs levels as a replacement therapy may be an effective endocrine potential strategy for treating ER positive/ negative breast cancers.

Leptin induces cell migration and invasion in a FAK-Src-dependent manner in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most common invasive neoplasia, and the second leading cause of the cancer deaths in women worldwide. Mammary tumorigenesis is severely linked to obesity, one potential connection is leptin. Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes, which contributes to the progression of breast cancer. Cell migration, metalloproteases secretion, and invasion are cellular processes associated with various stages of metastasis. These processes are regulated by the kinases FAK and Src. In this study, we utilized the breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 to determine the effect of leptin on FAK and Src kinases activation, cell migration, metalloprotease secretion, and invasion. We found that leptin activates FAK and Src and induces the localization of FAK to the focal adhesions. Interestingly, leptin promotes the activation of FAK through a Src- and STAT3-dependent canonical pathway. Specific inhibitors of FAK, Src and STAT3 showed that the effect exerted by leptin in cell migration in breast cancer cells is dependent on these proteins. Moreover, we established that leptin promotes the secretion of the extracellular matrix remodelers, MMP-2 and MMP-9 and invasion in a FAK and Src-dependent manner. Our findings strongly suggest that leptin promotes the development of a more aggressive invasive phenotype in mammary cancer cells.

Risk factors for endometrial cancer: An umbrella review of the literature

Although many risk factors could have causal association with endometrial cancer, they are also prone to residual confounding or other biases which could lead to over- or underestimation. This umbrella review evaluates the strength and validity of evidence pertaining risk factors for endometrial cancer. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses of observational studies evaluating the association between non-genetic risk factors and risk of developing or dying from endometrial cancer were identified from inception to April 2018 using PubMed, the Cochrane database and manual reference screening. Evidence was graded strong, highly suggestive, suggestive or weak based on statistical significance of random-effects summary estimate, largest study included, number of cases, between-study heterogeneity, 95% prediction intervals, small study effects, excess significance bias and sensitivity analysis with credibility ceilings. We identified 171 meta-analyses investigating associations between 53 risk factors and endometrial cancer incidence and mortality. Risk factors were categorised: anthropometric indices, dietary intake, physical activity, medical conditions, hormonal therapy use, biochemical markers, gynaecological history and smoking. Of 127 meta-analyses including cohort studies, three associations were graded with strong evidence. Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were associated with increased cancer risk in premenopausal women (RR per 5 kg/m2 1.49; CI 1.39-1.61) and for total endometrial cancer (RR per 0.1unit 1.21; CI 1.13-1.29), respectively. Parity reduced risk of disease (RR 0.66, CI 0.60-0.74). Of many proposed risk factors, only three had strong association without hints of bias. Identification of genuine risk factors associated with endometrial cancer may assist in developing targeted prevention strategies for women at high risk.

The weight of obesity in breast cancer progression and metastasis: Clinical and molecular perspectives

The escalating epidemic of overweight and obesity is currently recognized as one of the most significant health and economic concern worldwide. At the present time, over 1.9 billion adults and more than 600 million people can be, respectively, classified as overweight or obese, and numbers will continue to increase in the coming decades. This alarming scenario implies important clinical implications since excessive adiposity can progressively cause and/or exacerbate a wide spectrum of co-morbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and even certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. Indeed, pathological remodelling of white adipose tissue and increased levels of fat-specific cytokines (mainly leptin), as a consequence of the obesity condition, have been associated with several hallmarks of breast cancer, such as sustained proliferative signaling, cellular energetics, inflammation, angiogenesis, activating invasion and metastasis. Different preclinical and clinical data have provided evidence indicating that obesity may worsen the incidence, the severity, and the mortality of breast cancer. In the present review, we will discuss the epidemiological connection between obesity and breast cancer progression and metastasis and we will highlight the candidate players involved in this dangerous relationship. Since the major cause of death from cancer is due to widespread metastases, understanding these complex mechanisms will provide insights for establishing new therapeutic interventions to prevent/blunt the effects of obesity and thwart breast tumor progression and metastatic growth.

Breast Cancer Epidemiology among Lebanese Women: An 11-Year Analysis

Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide. Lebanon is a developing country in the Middle East with a prominent breast cancer incidence. The aim of our study was to explore the incidence rates of breast cancer in Lebanon from 2005 to 2015, and compare them to the rates of other countries. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer data for the years 2005-2015 was collected from the National Cancer Registry of Lebanon and stratified by gender and age group. Age-specific and age-standardized incidence rates were calculated and analyzed using joinpoint regression. Age-standardized incidence rates in the world population (ASR(w)) were obtained for other countries, from two online databases. Results: Breast cancer was found to be the most prevalent cancer in Lebanon, accounting for 20% of all cancer cases. The average ASR(w) was 96.5 per 100,000. Over the studied period, breast cancer ASR(w) in Lebanon showed a significantly increasing trend with an annual percent change (APC) of +4.6. Moreover, the APC of breast cancer age-specific rates significantly increased for the age groups 45-49 (p = 0.013), 50-54 (p < 0.001), 55-59 (p = 0.001), 60-64 (p = 0.002), 65-69 (p = 0.003), 70-74 (p < 0.001), and 75+ years (p < 0.001). Lebanon had the highest breast cancer ASR(w), when compared to other regional countries, and trailed only behind Denmark, when compared to selected countries from different parts of the world. Conclusions: Breast cancer incidence in Lebanon is among the highest in the world. Future studies should focus on exploring the genetic profile of the Lebanese population in an aim to extrapolate proper prevention guidelines.

Second primary cancers and survival in patients with gastric cancer: association with prediagnosis lifestyles

To quantify the association between prediagnosis lifestyles with the risk of second primary cancers (SPCs) and survival of patients with gastric first primary cancer (FPC). We recruited 574 gastric patients from two major public hospitals in North Portugal (2001-2006). Smoking, alcohol and dietary habits in the year before FPC diagnosis were evaluated. Patients were followed up to 31 December 2011 for an SPC and to 31 May 2017 for vital status. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios for incidence of an SPC or death. During follow-up, SPCs were diagnosed in five women and 23 men, and 409 patients died, corresponding to an estimated 10-year cumulative incidence of 5.2% for SPC and an estimated 15-year cumulative mortality of 72.1%. A significantly higher hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for SPCs was observed in patients reporting a higher consumption of red and processed meat versus the lowest third (4.49: 1.31-15.37), and for mortality in those with heavy alcohol intake versus never drinkers (1.73: 1.00-2.99) and excess weight versus normal weight (1.31: 1.04-1.65); no other significant associations were observed according to prediagnosis lifestyle. Prediagnosis lifestyles may affect the occurrence of an SPC and survival among gastric FPC survivors in the long term.

Oncologists' Attitudes and Practice of Addressing Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Management With Patients With Cancer: Findings of an ASCO Survey of the Oncology Workforce

PURPOSE

Obesity and related factors have been linked to cancer risk and outcomes, but little information exists with regard to oncologists' attention to these issues as a part of clinical care.

METHODS

Oncology providers actively caring for patients with cancer in the United States and internationally were asked to complete an online survey about practice patterns and perceptions with regard to obesity and weight management during and after active cancer treatment.

RESULTS

Nine hundred seventy-one practicing oncology providers completed the survey. The majority of respondents indicated a belief that the evidence linking obesity to cancer outcomes was strong and that weight and related factors should be addressed as a part of cancer treatment. The majority of respondents also reported that they frequently assessed body weight and related factors as well as counsel their patients to exercise, consume a healthy diet, and lose weight, if applicable. However, referral to providers and programs to support weight loss and increased physical activity occurred less frequently, and a number of barriers were identified for the incorporation of weight management and physical activity programs in the treatment of patients with cancer.

CONCLUSION

In a survey of oncology providers, attention to weight management, physical activity, and diet in patients with cancer was high during and after cancer treatment but often did not result in referrals to support lifestyle change. Future work is needed to support education and training of oncology providers to facilitate referrals and overcome barriers to implementation of weight management and physical activity programs for patients with cancer.

Prediagnosis obesity and secondary primary cancer risk in female cancer survivors: A national cohort study

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the effects of body mass index (BMI) before the diagnosis of the first primary cancer on the development of secondary primary cancers (SPCs) in female cancer survivors.

METHODS

This study population included 146 377 Korean female cancer survivors whose first primary cancer was diagnosed between 2002 and 2010. The incidence of SPCs was evaluated throughout follow-up until December 2011. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate the hazard ratios of SPCs with prediagnosis BMI and compared it to those of first cancers in the general population.

RESULTS

After 565 877 person-years of follow-up, 2222 patients with SPC were observed. The higher BMI was more in female cancer survivors than in general population. The age-standardized incidence rate of cancer in cancer survivors was 2.02 times higher than that of the general population. There were positive linear trends between prediagnosis BMI and risk of overall, colorectal, ovary, thyroid, and obesity-related SPCs. In addition, the BMI-SPC risk association was statistically significant in female cancer survivors without smoking history (P_trend  = 0.001) and with a localized first primary cancer (P_trend  = 0.014). However, the magnitude of the BMI-SPC risk association was similar to that for first cancers in the general population (P_{heterogeneity}  = 0.403 in BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m² ).

CONCLUSIONS

In female cancer survivors, prediagnosis obesity was a risk factor for overall, individual, and obesity-related SPCs. However, the magnitude of the BMI-SPC risk association was similar to that for first cancers in the general population.

Obesity, Leptin and Breast Cancer: Epidemiological Evidence and Proposed Mechanisms

The prevalence of obesity has been steadily increasing over the past few decades in several developed and developing countries, with resultant hazardous health implications. Substantial epidemiological evidence has shown that excessive adiposity strongly influences risk, prognosis, and progression of various malignancies, including breast cancer. Indeed, it is now well recognized that obesity is a complex physiologic state associated with multiple molecular changes capable of modulating the behavior of breast tumor cells as well of the surrounding microenvironment. Particularly, insulin resistance, hyperactivation of insulin-like growth factor pathways, and increased levels of estrogen due to aromatization by the adipose tissue, inflammatory cytokines, and adipokines contribute to breast cancerogenesis. Among adipokines, leptin, whose circulating levels increase proportionally to total adipose tissue mass, has been identified as a key member of the molecular network in obesity. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the epidemiological link existing between obesity and breast cancer and outlines the molecular mechanisms underlying this connection. The multifaceted role of the obesity adipokine leptin in this respect is also discussed.

Relationship of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression with Clinical Symptoms and Metastasis of Invasive Breast Cancer

This research explores the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the clinical symptoms and metastasis of patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC). A total of 189 patients with IBC were selected in this research. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were performed to detect EGFR in IBC and paratumor breast tissues. The results of statistical analysis showed that the positive expression of EGFR in IBC (140/189 = 74.07%) was significantly higher than that of paratumor breast tissues (23/189 = 12.16%) (P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the expression of EGFR and patients' onset age as well as menopausal status (P > 0.05), but it was significantly correlated with the diameter of tumor mass, lymph node metastasis, TNM staging, and histological gradation (P < 0.05). The positive expression of EGFR in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative group (64 tissues, 84.2%) was significantly higher than that in ER-positive group (76 tissues, 67.3%) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the positive expression of EGFR between progesterone receptor (PR)-positive group (73 tissues, 73.0%) and PR-negative group (67 tissues, 75.3%) (P > 0.05). The positive expression of EGFR in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive group (67 tissues, 84.8%) was significantly higher than that in HER2-negative group (73 tissues, 66.4%), with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The high expression of EGFR can be used to predict the severity of IBC, as well as the candidate biomarkers of metastasis, and it may also be associated with poor prognosis of IBC patients.

A Semi-Supervised Learning Algorithm for Predicting Four Types MiRNA-Disease Associations by Mutual Information in a Heterogeneous Network

Increasing evidence suggests that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) may lead to a variety of diseases. Therefore, identifying disease-related miRNAs is a crucial problem. Currently, many computational approaches have been proposed to predict binary miRNA-disease associations. In this study, in order to predict underlying miRNA-disease association types, a semi-supervised model called the network-based label propagation algorithm is proposed to infer multiple types of miRNA-disease associations (NLPMMDA) by mutual information derived from the heterogeneous network. The NLPMMDA method integrates disease semantic similarity, miRNA functional similarity, and Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity information of miRNAs and diseases to construct a heterogeneous network. NLPMMDA is a semi-supervised model which does not require verified negative samples. Leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) was implemented for four known types of miRNA-disease associations and demonstrated the reliable performance of our method. Moreover, case studies of lung cancer and breast cancer confirmed effective performance of NLPMMDA to predict novel miRNA-disease associations and their association types.

Development of second primary cancer in Korean breast cancer survivors

Purpose

Breast cancer survivors have slightly increased the risk of second primary cancers. Breast, colon, uterine, and ovarian cancers are common secondary cancers in breast cancer survivors. In this study, we assessed the development of second primary cancers of breast cancer survivors in Korea.

Methods

Medical records of patients with breast cancer in 3 tertiary medical institutions were reviewed retrospectively. We evaluated secondary malignancy diagnosed at least 2 months after the breast cancer diagnosis. Based on the International Classification of Disease-9 codes of malignancies, secondary primary breast cancer records were evaluated with person-year adjustment. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was assessed using national cancer incidence.

Results

A total of 3,444 treatment records were included from 3 medical centers. The cumulative incidence of overall second primary cancers was 2.8% (n = 93). The SIR was significantly higher in all sites (1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–1.91), endometrial cancer (5.65; 95% CI, 2.06–12.31), biliary tract cancer (3.96; 95% CI, 1.19–8.60), and thyroid cancer (2.29; 95% CI, 1.67–3.08).

Conclusion

The incidence of cancer was higher in breast cancer survivors compared to general population. Surveillance of secondary cancer in this group should be recommended individually considering the benefit related to the prognosis of primary breast cancer.

The role of health policy in the burden of breast cancer in Brazil

Background

Breast cancer affects millions of women worldwide, particularly in Brazil, where public healthcare system is an important model in health organization and the cost of chronic disease has affected the economy in the first decade of the twenty-first century. The aim was to evaluate the role of health policy in the burden of breast cancer in Brazil between 2004 and 2014.

Methods

Secondary analysis was performed in 2017 with Brazilian Health Ministry official data, extracted from the Department of Informatics of the National Health System. Age-standardized mortality and the age-standardized incidence of hospital admission by breast cancer were calculated per 100,000 people. Public healthcare costs were converted to US dollars. Regression analysis was performed to estimate the trend of breast cancer rates and healthcare costs, and principal component analysis was performed to estimate a cost factor. Stata® 11.0 was utilized.

Results

Between 2004 to 2014, the age-standardized rates of breast cancer mortality and the incidence of hospital admission and public healthcare costs increased. There was a positive correlation between breast cancer and healthcare public costs, mainly influenced by governmental strategies.

Conclusions

Governmental strategies are effective against the burden of breast cancer in Brazil.

Hormone receptor status of a first primary breast cancer predicts contralateral breast cancer risk in the WECARE study population

BACKGROUND

Previous population-based studies have described first primary breast cancer tumor characteristics and their association with contralateral breast cancer (CBC) risk. However, information on influential covariates such as treatment, family history of breast cancer, and BRCA1/2 mutation carrier status was not available. In a large, population-based, case-control study, we evaluated whether tumor characteristics of the first primary breast cancer are associated with risk of developing second primary asynchronous CBC, overall and in subgroups of interest, including among BRCA1/2 mutation non-carriers, women who are not treated with tamoxifen, and women without a breast cancer family history.

METHODS

The Women's Environmental Cancer and Radiation Epidemiology Study is a population-based case-control study of 1521 CBC cases and 2212 individually-matched controls with unilateral breast cancer. Detailed information about breast cancer risk factors, treatment for and characteristics of first tumors, including estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status, was obtained by telephone interview and medical record abstraction. Multivariable risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated in conditional logistic regression models, adjusting for demographics, treatment, and personal medical and family history. A subset of women was screened for BRCA1/2 mutations.

RESULTS

Lobular histology of the first tumor was associated with a 30% increase in CBC risk (95% CI 1.0-1.6). Compared to women with ER+/PR+ first tumors, those with ER-/PR- tumors had increased risk of CBC (RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.7). Notably, women with ER-/PR- first tumors were more likely to develop CBC with the ER-/PR- phenotype (RR = 5.4, 95% CI 3.0-9.5), and risk remained elevated in multiple subgroups: BRCA1/2 mutation non-carriers, women younger than 45 years of age, women without a breast cancer family history, and women who were not treated with tamoxifen.

CONCLUSIONS

Having a hormone receptor negative first primary breast cancer is associated with increased risk of CBC. Women with ER-/PR- primary tumors were more likely to develop ER-/PR- CBC, even after excluding BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Hormone receptor status, which is routinely evaluated in breast tumors, may be used clinically to determine treatment protocols and identify patients who may benefit from increased surveillance for CBC.

Serum antioxidant capacity, biochemical profile and body composition of breast cancer survivors in a randomized Mediterranean dietary intervention study

PURPOSE

Increasing evidence suggests that Mediterranean Diet (MD) is correlated with reduced risk of breast cancer (BC) and cancer mortality, since it modifies patients' serum antioxidant capacity, body composition and biochemical parameters. The aim of the study was to investigate whether a dietary intervention based on MD has a beneficial effect on these factors.

METHODS

In this intervention study, seventy female BC survivors were randomly assigned to (1) the intervention group (personalized dietary intervention based on MD) and (2) the control group (received the updated American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention and ad libitum diet). Both groups were assessed twice [beginning, end of study (after 6 months)] regarding their anthropometric and biochemical parameters, serum vitamin C, vitamin A, a-tocopherol and CoQ10 levels, dietary intake and adherence to MD. An additional intermediate analysis was conducted on participants' body composition and biochemical profile.

RESULTS

Concerning the intervention group, body weight, body fat mass, waist circumference, body mass index as well as HDL-cholesterol were significantly decreased (P < 0.2%). An increase was observed in the vitamin C levels in blood (P < 0.2%). In the control group, body weight, body fat mass and serum total cholesterol rose (P < 0.2%). At the end of the study the two groups were significantly different considering blood glucose, vitamin C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A and a-tocopherol levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This randomized dietary intervention based on MD managed to ameliorate serum antioxidant capacity, body composition, adherence to MD and glycemic profile of postmenopausal BC survivors.

Sociodemographic and economic factors are associated with weight gain between before and after cancer diagnosis: results from the prospective population-based NutriNet-Santé cohort

Purpose

While many cancer patients are affected by weight loss, others tend to gain weight, which may impact prognosis and risk of recurrence and of second cancer. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate weight variation between before and after cancer diagnosis and socio-demographic, economic, lifestyle and clinical factors associated with moderate-to-severe weight gain.

Methods

1051 incident cases of first primary cancer were diagnosed in the NutriNet-Santé cohort between 2009 and 2015. Weight was prospectively collected every 6 months since subjects’ inclusion (i.e. an average of 2y before diagnosis). Mean weights before and after cancer diagnosis were compared with paired Student's t-test. Factors associated with moderate-to-severe weight gain (≥5% of initial weight) were investigated by age and sex-adjusted logistic regression.

Results

Weight loss was observed in men (-3.54±4.39kg in those who lost weight, p=0.0002) and in colorectal cancer patients (-3.94±4.40kg, p=0.001). Weight gain was observed in breast and skin cancers (2.83±3.21kg, p=0.04, and 2.96±2.75kg, p=0.04 respectively). Women (OR=1.75[1.06-2.87],p=0.03), younger patients (2.44[1.51-3.70],p<0.0001), those with lower income (OR=1.30[1.01-1.72],p-trend=0.007), lower education (OR=1.32[1.03-2.70],p-trend=0.03), excess weight before diagnosis (OR=1.64[1.12-2.42],p=0.01), lower physical activity (OR=1.28[1.01-1.64],p=0.04) and those who stopped smoking (OR=4.31[1.99-9.35],p=0.005]) were more likely to gain weight. In breast cancer patients, induced menopause was associated with weight gain (OR=4.12[1.76-9.67]), but no association was detected for tumor characteristics or treatments.

Conclusion

This large prospective cohort provided original results on weight variation between before and after cancer diagnosis, highlighting different weight trajectories. Socio-demographic and economic factors appeared to influence the risk of weight gain, illustrating social inequalities in health.