Metabolic Syndrome Significantly Associated With Breast Cancer Risk

The increase in breast cancer incidence over recent decades has been accompanied by an increase in the frequency of metabolic syndrome. Several studies suggest that breast cancer risk is associated with the components of metabolic syndrome (high serum glucose and triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol, high blood pressure, and abdominal obesity), but no prospective study has investigated risk in relation to the presence of explicitly defined metabolic syndrome.

In this prospective study the researchers investigated associations between metabolic syndrome, its components, and breast cancer risk in a nested case–control study on postmenopausal women.

After a median follow-up of 13.5 years, 163 women developed breast cancer; metabolic syndrome was present in 29.8%.

Metabolic syndrome (i.e. presence of three or more metabolic syndrome components) was significantly associated with breast cancer risk, with a significant risk increase for increasing number of components. Among individual metabolic syndrome components, only low serum HDL-cholesterol and high triglycerides were significantly associated with increased risk.

The study indicates that metabolic syndrome is an important risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Although serum HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides had the strongest association with breast cancer, all components may contribute to increased risk by multiple interacting mechanisms. Prevention or reversal of metabolic syndrome by life-style changes may be effective in preventing breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

These lifestyle interventions include:

Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2)
Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week
Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol

Treatment Unnecessary in Majority of Prostate Cancer Cases

In the largest study of its kind, a team of pathologists studied an initial 4,000 prostate cancer patients over a period of 15 years to further understanding into the

Over 40 Per Cent in Britain Unaware Poor Diet May Increase Cancer Risk

Over 40 per cent of people in Britain are unaware that eating a poor diet may increase their risk of developing cancer, new research shows. A survey commissioned

An Increase in Leptin Could Promote Colorectal Cancer

While researchers have known that obesity increases the risk for the development of colon cancer, the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained unclear. Now, for

Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women With High Insulin Levels

Higher-than-normal levels of insulin place postmenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of

Vitamin D Found to Inhibit the Growth of Breast Cancer Cells

Calcitrol, the active form of vitamin D, has been found to induce a tumor suppressing protein that can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, according to a study

References:
1. C, Agnoli, et al. Metabolic syndrome and postmenopausal breast cancer in the ORDET cohort: A nested case–control study. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.02.006.
2. American Heart Association.