BUFFALO, NY – Can hormonal changes and genetic variants in early-stage breast cancer patients contribute to a weight gain that increases the chance of cancer recurrence? In one of the first known comprehensive studies to examine the issue, scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute are hoping to find the answer so more and more women can stay breast cancer survivors.

The “Women’s Health After Breast Cancer” initiative at Roswell Park Cancer Institute is investigating factors that may affect women’s health after they are diagnosed with breast cancer, with a focus on both quality of life and prevention of cancer recurrence. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense ($622,766), the New York State Breast Cancer Research & Education Fund ($120,000), the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation^® ($250,000) and individual gifts made to the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation ($25,000) for a total of
$1,017,766.

 Two investigators in the Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, Chi-Chen Hong, PhD, and Christine Ambrosone, PhD, will examine the combined impact of cancer treatment, genetic makeup, physiological changes, lifestyle habits, diet, physical activity, emotional well-being and social support as factors that can affect the health of women with breast cancer and be predictive of risk for recurrence.

Weight gain – the initial research focus – occurs in 50 to 95 percent of early-stage breast cancer patients who receive chemotherapy after surgery and/or radiation therapy, and has been associated with a poorer prognosis.

“The proposed study will have the capability to answer important questions in the care of breast cancer patients today and provide data that may lead to increased disease-free survival,” said Dr. Hong.

The prospective study will follow 600 early-stage breast cancer patients from diagnosis, through treatment and after treatment, to identify modifiable risk factors for weight gain, and women who are most susceptible to weight gain during and after treatment for breast cancer, and to investigate the influence of weight gain on the risk of recurrence.

Data on hormone levels, menopausal status, body composition, diet, physical activity, psychological variables, and genetic makeup will be collected at baseline, at six months and annually for two years. Mammographic density levels will be monitored annually as an indicator of breast cancer risk.

A study of alterations in weight, body composition and fat distribution among early-stage breast cancer patients will provide insights into the mechanisms by which weight gain influences prognosis and targets for prevention of recurrence in these patients.

“There is little information available about what women can do to improve their health after they are diagnosed with breast cancer. This is believed to be the first study to investigate the role of hormonal changes and genetic variants in weight gain in these patients. The long-term goal of this research will be to identify factors that improve health during and after treatment for breast cancer,” noted Dr. Ambrosone.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. For more information, visit the RPCI website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

 

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