[Overweight/obesity in women and its implication in breast cancer: age of diagnosis]

Abstract

Overweight, obesity, and breast cancer are three pathologies that are endemic in the world today and which have a great impact on society. Many research studies are currently trying to discover possible associations between these factors and to specify the links between them.

Objective: To verify whether there is a direct connection between overweight/obesity in women with breast cancer and its relation to age of diagnosis.

Materials and methods: The sample population in this study was composed of 118 women (32-76 years of age) who had been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2009-2011 at the Centro Oncológico Estatal ISSEMyM [National Cancer Institute of Mexico]. An observational, descriptive, and transversal study was performed in which a random sample of n = 60 women was divided into two groups. The first group was composed of women with breast cancer, but who were of normal weight. The second group was composed of women with breast cancer, but who were either overweight or obese. In both groups, the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) was applied, and the BMI (weight and height) was determined as well as waist circumference.

Results: A statistically significant relation was found between age of diagnosis and weight (normal/overweight/obese) of the subjects (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The results obtained show that overweight and obesity are directly linked to breast cancer and age of diagnosis. Breast cancer was diagnosed earlier in women of normal weight.