Moderate short-term weight loss linked to significantly reduced breast cancer risk

There may be a link between weight loss and a reduction in the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Scientists from several research institutions, including City of Hope, the University of Washington, and Indiana University, have discovered that weight loss can help reduce the risk of breast cancer in these people. women. Posted in the journal of the American Cancer Society CANCER Monday, the study showed the association after many conflicting studies.

"We've known for almost two decades that obesity is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," said Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, research professor in the department of research in medical oncology and therapeutics at the University of Toronto. paper, says Newsweek. "It has been very difficult, if not impossible, to show that weight loss in overweight or obese people would reduce the risk of breast cancer."

For this study, Chlebowski and her team analyzed the information of 61,335 women aged 50 to 79 in the World Health Initiative's observational study, who had never had cancer. breast and whose mammography results were normal. Three years later, the index of height, weight, and body mass in women was re-examined to determine their evolution.

In the third year, weight loss of 5% or more was considered weight loss, weight gain of at least 5% was considered weight gain and maintenance at less than 5% of the weight. initial weight was considered stable. Women who lost weight had a 12% lower risk of breast cancer than women whose weight had remained stable. Women who had gained weight generally did not have a higher risk of breast cancer, but had a 54% higher incidence of triple negative breast cancer, which tends to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. breast.

Women, men and children affected by breast cancer place themselves in the "women's field" to support the Breast Cancer Network Australia. ADAM TRAFFORD / AFL MEDIA / GETTY IMAGES

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, regardless of race or ethnicity. It is the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women, and among White, Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American and Alaska Native women, it is the second leading cause of cancer death.

"A short-term change can be very beneficial," said Dr. Chlebowski. Even though the weight changes were quite small, he thinks that they have always had a significant effect on the incidence of breast cancer in these menopausal women.

"People are thinking about these extreme changes and I think the message should be moderation. A moderate lifestyle change can make a difference, "said Dr. Chlebowski. However, losing weight is not the only way to prevent breast cancer. "I think that there will be a two-component approach: we are not saying that we are opposed to pharmacology or that it's better than pharmacology, it would be an additional factor." That would require a moderate amount of change in addition to any other type of pharmacological factors you would use. "