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The Role of Obesity and Inflammation in Breast Cancer Recurrence

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Abstract

Purpose of review

The purpose of this study is to summarize the latest findings regarding the impact of obesity and inflammation on breast cancer recurrence risk.

Recent Findings

Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence and cancer-specific mortality. Biologic mechanisms that drive this association vary by tumor subtype and include a dysfunctional tumor microenvironment and systemic inflammation. We discuss the impact of obesity on systemic therapy resistance and review current evidence supporting pharmacological, surgical, and lifestyle modifications for addressing obesity in the context of improving breast cancer survivorship.

Summary

Obesity is associated with poorer survival in breast cancer. Risk stratification by tumor and host-specific characteristics can help identify adjunctive interventions to improve breast cancer outcomes in patients with obesity.

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Data Availability

No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Abbreviations

AI:

Aromatase inhibitors

BC:

Breast cancer

BMI:

Body mass index

CI:

Confidence interval

DFS:

Disease-free survival

HR:

Hazard ratio

HER2:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2

IGF-1:

Insulin-like growth factor-1

IDFS:

Invasive disease–free survival

MetS:

Metabolic syndrome

OS:

Overall survival

pCR:

Pathological complete response

EFS:

Relapse-free survival

RR:

Risk ratio

TME:

Tumor microenvironment

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor-α

T2DM:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Funding

This work was supported in part through the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI) Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748. SS is supported by a Young Investigator Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and by the Clinical and Translational Science Center at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center CTSA UL1TR00457 grant. NMI is supported through NIH 1R01CA235711, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant, and the Kat’s Ribbon of Hope Foundation. NMI discloses research grants (to institution) from Novartis and SynDevRx and consulting fees from Pfizer, Novartis, Seattle Genetics, Gilead, Astra Zeneca, and BD Life Sciences outside the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology Service, University Galway Hospital, Galway, Ireland

    Sonya M. Chew

  2. Breast Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center, 300 East 66Th Street, Office 823, New York, NY, USA

    Bethina Liu, Sherry Shen & Neil M. Iyengar

  3. Department of Medicine, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Bethina Liu, Sherry Shen & Neil M. Iyengar

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S.M.C., B.L., S.S., and N.M.I. wrote the main manuscript text, and S.M.C. prepared Tables 1–2. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Neil M. Iyengar.

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Chew, S.M., Liu, B., Shen, S. et al. The Role of Obesity and Inflammation in Breast Cancer Recurrence. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 16, 237–250 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-024-00550-5

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