eMedicineLive

According to a new study presented at the 2011 CTRC- AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the researchers have found that obese patients with HER-2 breast cancer have a poorer prognosis compared to women who are of normal weight or are slightly overweight.

 

HER-2 or Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive status accounts for one third of all cases of breast cancer. HER-2 protein causes a spurt in the growth of cancer cells. The study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, and led by Dr. Jennifer Crozier, found that not only do obese women with HER-2 positive status respond poorly to the various treatment modalities, they are also likely to present with larger tumors with presence of cancer cells in the regional lymph nodes.

 

The researchers examined the treatment records of 3,017 women from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group, who were HER-2 positive and receiving treatment for early stage breast cancer. These women received one of the three forms of treatment- either chemotherapy alone, or chemotherapy followed by Herceptin for one year, or chemotherapy along with Herceptin and then followed by Herceptin for one year. The researchers noticed that women with a BMI of more than 30, responded poorly to treatment, irrespective of the type of treatment they received. Compared to the other two modalities, their response was close to that of normal weight women when they received chemotherapy along with Herceptin followed by Herceptin for one year.

 

 The researchers concluded that a difference in the body mass index can make a difference in the outcome of the disease. Obese women with HER-2 positive early stage breast cancer respond poorly to treatment, although treatment with Herceptin provides an almost equal benefit to all patients, whether they are of normal weight or are obese.

 

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