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TUESDAY, Oct. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) – Losing weight could do more than please an elderly woman. New research suggests that this could reduce her chances of breast cancer.
"Our study indicates that a moderate to relatively short-term weight reduction was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," said Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, of the National Medical Center of the City of Hope, Duarte, California.
An oncologist said the results are good news for millions of Americans.
"Obesity and breast cancer are medical issues that affect women in this country," said Dr. Lauren Cassell, director of breast surgeries at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
"About a third of women in the United States are obese, resulting in an increased risk of known hypertension. [high blood pressure], diabetes, and orthopedic issues, to name just a few, "added Cassell, who did not participate in the new research." Plus, we know that one in eight women will develop breast cancer. "
So, could weight loss also reduce the risk of breast cancer?
To find out, Chlebowski's group followed the results for more than 61,000 postmenopausal women without prior breast cancer with normal mammography results. The weight of the women was checked at the beginning of the study and again three years later.
During an average follow-up of just over 11 years, about 3,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed in the group.
The results showed that women who lost 5% or more of their body weight had a 12% lower risk of breast cancer than women whose weight had remained the same.
In addition, a weight gain of 5% or more was not associated with the risk of breast cancer but was associated with a higher risk of 54% of triple negative breast cancer. However, the association does not prove the cause and the effect.
The results were published on October 8 in the journal Cancer.
Chlebowski pointed out that "these are observational results, but they are also supported by evidence from randomized clinical trials".
Taken together, the studies "provide strong correlative evidence that a modest weight loss program may have an impact on breast cancer," Chlebowski said in a press release.
Dr. Alice Police is Regional Director of Breast Surgery at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute in Sleepy Hollow, New York. She noted that for older women, menopause causes many distressing symptoms, including unwanted weight gain.
And the new study shows that "as if that were not enough, we must now seriously lose that weight in order to minimize our risk of developing breast cancer," police said.
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