Tipping The Scales: The Impact of Obesity on Prevalence of Breast Cancer

This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms that link obesity to the progression of breast cancer as well as the incidence of breast cancer in obese folks. Breast cancer, one of the many devastating cancers, is yet another formidable adversary against which obesity stands as a significant risk factor. Several molecular pathways– chronic inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and metabolic anomalies are involved in the relationship involving obesity and breast cancer. The primary objective is to determine the prevalence of breast cancer in obese patients and to evaluate the influence of obesity on type of breast cancer, for which, we collected a total of 102 patients and analysed in our retro-prospective observational study.

The study discovered that majority of women suffering from breast cancer fell within the age spectrum of 41 to 50 years and beyond, with a high prevalence among perimenopausal and menopausal women, which was further demonstrated by Chi square test of independence (p value = 0.0000224 < 0.05). Our study also revealed that there is a noteworthy association between elevated BMI and the occurrences of breast cancer (p value = 0.00001 < 0.05). We also discovered that elevated BMI influences the type of breast cancer that has occurred, which was manifested by the application of Proportional analysis (Estrogen positive breast cancer = 0.605) Majority of the subjects were obese and pre-obese conjugatively. A majority (81.3%) had comorbidities, while 11.76% had addictive behaviours. Genetic variables were involved; a notable 6.86% of individuals with a hereditary predisposition to breast cancer, predominantly inherited it from their mothers. 66% cases were of invasive ductal carcinomas. Estrogen-positive cases were the most frequent subtype (59.77%). Stage IV breast cancer commonly metastasized to the lungs and bones.

The conclusion of the study pours light on how obesity can be a risk factor of breast cancer. We also concluded that obesity could influence the type of breast cancer and estrogen-positive breast cancer appeared to be the major type caused by obesity. Age and consequently menstrual phase also associate with the occurrence of breast cancer in folks, perimenopausal and menopausal females being the most vulnerable to get affected by this ailment.