Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Weight loss and postmenopausal breast cancer in a prospective cohort of overweight and obese US women

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

    We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

    Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are associated with increased postmenopausal breast cancer risk; however, it is unclear whether losing excess weight will lower risk. Therefore, we examined the relationship between weight loss and postmenopausal breast cancer among 13,055 overweight and obese, cancer-free women who enrolled in the Cancer Prevention Study-II (CPS-II) Nutrition Cohort in 1992. During the 15 year follow-up, 816 postmenopausal breast cancer cases were diagnosed. Self-reported weight was collected before diagnosis at baseline and 10 years prior to baseline. The median weight loss was 11 lbs, but only 58% of the women maintained this weight loss through the first 5 year follow-up interval (1992–1997). Using both restricted cubic splines and multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling, we observed no association between weight loss and postmenopausal breast cancer. The hazard ratio for 30+ pounds of weight loss compared to stable weight was 0.95 (95%: CI 0.47–1.95). An inverse association was, however, suggested among women who maintained ten or more pounds of weight loss through the next interval. There was no evidence of effect modification by postmenopausal hormone use, initial BMI, or other factors examined. In summary, weight loss was not associated with postmenopausal breast cancer in this study. Future studies should focus on sustained weight loss and whether the timing of weight loss is important.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  1. World Cancer Reserach Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (2007) Food, nutrition, physical activity, and the prevention of cancer: a global perspective. AICR, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  2. Feigelson HS, Jonas CR, Teras LR, Thun MJ, Calle EE (2004) Weight gain, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy, and postmenopausal breast cancer in a large prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 13(2):220–224

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Turk MW, Yang K, Hravnak M, Sereika SM, Ewing LJ, Burke LE (2009) Randomized clinical trials of weight loss maintenance: a review. J Cardiovasc Nurs 24(1):58–80

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Eng SM, Gammon MD, Terry MB, Kushi LH, Teitelbaum SL, Britton JA et al (2005) Body size changes in relation to postmenopausal breast cancer among women on Long Island, New York. Am J Epidemiol 162(3):229–237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ahn J, Schatzkin A, Lacey JV Jr, Albanes D, Ballard-Barbash R, Adams KF et al (2007) Adiposity, adult weight change, and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Arch Intern Med 167(19):2091–2102

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Eliassen AH, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE (2006) Adult weight change and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. JAMA 296(2):193–201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lahmann PH, Schulz M, Hoffmann K, Boeing H, Tjonneland A, Olsen A et al (2005) Long-term weight change and breast cancer risk: the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC). Br J Cancer 93(5):582–589

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Harvie M, Howell A, Vierkant RA, Kumar N, Cerhan JR, Kelemen LE et al (2005) Association of gain and loss of weight before and after menopause with risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in the Iowa women’s health study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14(3):656–661

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Radimer KL, Ballard-Barbash R, Miller JS, Fay MP, Schatzkin A, Troiano R et al (2004) Weight change and the risk of late-onset breast cancer in the original Framingham cohort. Nutr Cancer 49(1):7–13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Trentham-Dietz A, Newcomb PA, Egan KM, Titus-Ernstoff L, Baron JA, Storer BE et al (1998) Weight change and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (United States). Cancer Causes Control 11(6):533–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Trentham-Dietz A, Newcomb PA, Storer BE, Longnecker MP, Baron J, Greenberg ER et al (1997) Body size and risk of breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol 145(11):1011–1019

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Shoff SM, Newcomb PA, Trentham-Dietz A, Remington PL, Mittendorf R, Greenberg ER et al (2000) Early-life physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer: effect of body size and weight change. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 9(6):591–595

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Li CI, Stanford JL, Daling JR (2000) Anthropometric variables in relation to risk of breast cancer in middle-aged women. Int J Epidemiol 29(2):208–213

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hirose K, Tajima K, Hamajima N, Takezaki T, Inoue M, Kuroishi T et al (1999) Effect of body size on breast-cancer risk among Japanese women. Int J Cancer 80(3):349–355

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Magnusson C, Baron J, Persson I, Wolk A, Bergstrom R, Trichopoulos D et al (1998) Body size in different periods of life and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women. Int J Cancer 76(1):29–34

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. van den Brandt PA, Dirx MJ, Ronckers CM, van den Hoogen P, Goldbohm RA (1997) Height, weight, weight change, and postmenopausal breast cancer risk: the Netherlands Cohort Study. Cancer Causes Control 8(1):39–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Ziegler RG, Hoover RN, Nomura AM, West DW, Wu AH, Pike MC et al (1993) Relative weight, weight change, height, and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women. J Natl Cancer Inst 88(10):650–660

    Google Scholar 

  18. Chu SY, Lee NC, Wingo PA, Senie RT, Greenberg RS, Peterson HB (1991) The relationship between body mass and breast cancer among women enrolled in the cancer and steroid hormone study. J Clin Epidemiol 44(11):1197–1206

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ballard-Barbash R, Schatzkin A, Taylor PR, Kahle LL (1990) Association of change in body mass with breast cancer. Cancer Res 50(7):2152–2155

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Adams TD, Stroup AM, Gress RE, Adams KF, Calle EE, Smith SC et al (2009) Cancer incidence and mortality after gastric bypass surgery. Obesity (Silver Spring) 17(4):796–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Sjostrom L, Gummesson A, Sjostrom CD, Narbro K, Peltonen M, Wedel H et al (2007) Effects of bariatric surgery on cancer incidence in obese patients in Sweden (Swedish Obese Subjects Study): a prospective, controlled intervention trial. Lancet Oncol 10(7):653–662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Christou NV, Lieberman M, Sampalis F, Sampalis JS (2008) Bariatric surgery reduces cancer risk in morbidly obese patients. Surg Obes Relat Dis 4(6):691–695

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Calle EE, Rodriguez C, Jacobs EJ, Almon ML, Chao A, McCullough ML et al (2002) The American cancer society cancer prevention study II nutrition cohort: rationale, study design, and baseline characteristics. Cancer 94(9):2490–2501

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Garfinkel L (1985) Selection, follow-up, and analysis in the American cancer society prospective studies. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 67:49–52

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Bergmann MM, Calle EE, Mervis CA, Miracle-McMahill HL, Thun MJ, Heath CW (1998) Validity of self-reported cancers in a prospective cohort study in comparison with data from state cancer registries. Am J Epidemiol 147(6):556–562

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Li R, Hertzmark E, Louie M, Chen L, Spiegelman D (2008) The SAS LGTPHCURV8 Macro. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/faculty/spiegelman/lgtphcurv8html2006 (last accessed 12 Nov 2008)

  27. Cox D (1972) Regression Models and life tables (with discussions). JR Stat Soc B 34:187–220

    Google Scholar 

  28. de Waard F, Poortman J, de Pedro-Alvarez Ferrero M, Baanders-van Halewijn EA (1982) Weight reduction and oestrogen excretion in obese post-menopausal women. Maturitas 4(2):155–162

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. O’Dea JP, Wieland RG, Hallberg MC, Llerena LA, Zorn EM, Genuth SM (1979) Effect of dietery weight loss on sex steroid binding sex steroids, and gonadotropins in obese postmenopausal women. J Lab Clin Med 93(6):1004–1008

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Glenny AM, O’Meara S, Melville A, Sheldon TA, Wilson C (1997) The treatment and prevention of obesity: a systematic review of the literature. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 21(9):715–737

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

In memory of our colleague, Dr. Jeanne Calle, whose contribution to this article was invaluable.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Research Program, American Cancer Society, National Home Office, 250 Williams St. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA

    Lauren R. Teras, Alpa V. Patel & W. Ryan Diver

  2. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Michael Goodman & W. Dana Flanders

  3. Kaiser Permanente, Denver, CO, USA

    Heather Spencer Feigelson

Authors
  1. Lauren R. Teras
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Goodman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alpa V. Patel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. W. Ryan Diver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. W. Dana Flanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  6. Heather Spencer Feigelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lauren R. Teras.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Teras, L.R., Goodman, M., Patel, A.V. et al. Weight loss and postmenopausal breast cancer in a prospective cohort of overweight and obese US women. Cancer Causes Control 22, 573–579 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9730-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9730-y

Keywords