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
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.
