Obesity May Raise Risks of Breast Cancer

In that certain previous studies have suggested a potential causal link between obesity and increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, Amanda Phipps, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Washington, USA), and colleagues analyzed data from the 155,723 women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative. They assessed levels of baseline body mass index (BMI) and recreational physical activity among the 307 women who had triple-negative breast cancer and the 2,610 women who had estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.  The researchers found that women with the highest BMI had a 35% increased risk of triple-negative breast cancers and a 39% increased risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers. In contrast, those who reported high rates of physical activity had a 23% decreased risk of triple-negative breast cancer and a 15% decreased risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.  Observing that: “Despite biological and clinical differences, triple-negative and ER-positive breast cancers are similarly associated with BMI and recreational physical activity in postmenopausal women,” the team submits that: “these results suggest potential ways postmenopausal women might modify their risk of both ER-positive and triple-negative breast cancers.”