Relationship between weight change during chemotherapy and recurrence in breast cancer

Abstract

Purpose: Weight change during chemotherapy is reported to be associated with a worse prognosis in breast cancer. Our study was aimed to evaluate the relation of weight change during AC (anthracycline+cyclophosphamide) +taxanes chemotherapy and recurrence. Methods: Patients included 89 women diagnosed with breast cancer who have been treated by AC+taxenes chemotherapy regimen. The weight variation between prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy was calculated ([weight at postchemotherapy-weight at prechemotherapy]/weight at prechemotherapy×100) and categorized into either weight change (≥5%) or stable (<5%). And then, we evaluated the relation of weight change and recurrence through the radiologic image tests (positron emission tomography-computed tomography, breast sonography, mammography, bone scan, magnetic resonance imaging, abdomino-pelvic computed tomography) each group. Results: During chemotherapy, 37of total 89 patients (41.6%) presented notable weight change and 52 patients (58.4%) were not weight change. Median follow-up period was 45.1 months, 17 of total 89 patients (19.1%) presented recurrence on the radiologic image tests. Eight of 17 recurrence patients were presented notable weight change, 9 patients were not weight change. In univariate analyses, weight change was not associated with recurrence. Conclusion: In our study, weight change during AC+taxanes chemotherapy in breast cancer was not associated with recurrence. Many studies that relation of weight change and recurrence were presented various result. So, we need more clinical studies many patients included and well designed.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• weight change
• recurrence
• chemotherapy