Breast Cancer Survivors Undergoing Endocrine Therapy Have a Worrying Risk Factor Profile for Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

The increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in breast cancer survivors has been widely discussed in the literature and occurs due to the cardiotoxicity of antineoplastic treatments, and also to the common risk factors between these diseases. Thus, the objective of our study was to evaluate, prospectively, the number of risk factors (NRF) for CVDs in women during endocrine therapy, and to associate the NRF with C reactive protein (CRP) and phase angle (PhA). The following risk factors for CVD were evaluated at three times: anthracycline chemotherapy, radiotherapy, comorbidities, inadequate diet, overweight, abdominal adiposity, alcoholism, smoking, physical inactivity and altered lipid profile. There was inadequacy in the most components of the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index—Revised and inadequate consumption of various types of fats and fibers. Most women in this study presented excessive abdominal fat and overweight, but these parameters have not changed over time (p p = 0.003), a predictor of cardiovascular risk, however, there was no significance with PhA (p = 0.256). Thus, intervention is needed to improve lifestyle.

Keywords

• cancer survivors
• breast neoplasms
• cardiovascular diseases
• endocrine therapy
• food consumption
• body composition