Association of Obesity with Premenopausal Breast Cancer: Analyzing Molecular Subtypes

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a common disease among women. Research on obesity and premenopausal breast cancer shows mixed results. In this study, we examined the associations between premenopausal BC and obesity by analyzing molecular subtypes. Methods: We interviewed 74 women diagnosed with early and advanced stages of BC. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), and insulin levels were determined by immunoassay. Biochemical analyses were used to measure serum levels of glucose and lipid profiles. Descriptive statistics, χ² test, t test, and analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. Results: Our results suggested that obesity was associated with tumor proliferation, size, and status of progesterone hormone receptors. Differences in lipid profiles were observed between patients with and without obesity, as well as between molecular subtypes. An increase in the levels of IL-6, glucose, and the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index was observed in luminal B and HER2-enriched subtypes in patients with obesity. In patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), only the glucose level was significantly associated with obesity. A moderate inverse correlation was found between the CA15-3 level and body mass index (r = −0.40, P = 0.008. Conclusion: Our findings support the putative role of obesity BC development and the formation of its molecular subtypes in premenopausal women. Metabolic monitoring, especially of glucose and lipid profiles, proved to be useful for premenopausal patients with BC and obesity to evaluate potential risks for specific molecular subtypes.

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