Post-Menopausal Weight Loss Linked to Reduced Breast Cancer Risk

According to a study published in Cancer, postmenopausal women who lose weight have a lower risk of breast cancer compared with those with a stable weight. 

The researchers assessed 61,335 postmenopausal women who had no prior breast cancer and a normal mammogram. They calculated body mass index at baseline and at 3 years, categorizing participants as having a weight change of stable (<5%; n=41,139), loss (≥5%; n=8,175), or gain (≥5%; n=12,021). 

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During a mean follow‐up of 11.4 years, there were 3,061 incident breast cancers.  

Women who lost weight had a 12% lower risk of breast cancer compared with women whose weight was stable (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78‐0.98; P=0.02). Among women who gained weight, there was no observed association with breast cancer risk (HR=1.02; 95% CI, 0.93‐1.11); however, weight gain was associated with a higher incidence of triple‐negative breast cancer (HR=1.54; 95% CI, 1.16‐2.05). 

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“These findings suggest that postmenopausal women who lose weight may reduce their breast cancer risk,” the researchers concluded. 

A study found that higher BMI is associated with reduced breast cancer risk. 

New guidelines recommend exercise as standard care for cancer. 

Source: Cancer