New information: Breast cancer survival and obesity

I’ve been wondering about this for the last eight years - since my own breast cancer diagnosis. Even then I was reading snippets of information that was highly suggestive that even being ‘overweight’ could seriously affect my own ability to remain cancer free over time. I had lost a considerable amount of weight prior to my diagnosis, nearly 40 pounds, but there was nearly a ten year span were I was getting increasingly overweight for my 5’3” frame. At my top weight, I was almost 164. At time of diagnosis, I was about 126. today, I average about 136, and I monitor my weight very closely - and my diet.

Today, my BMI is in the very healthful range, but BMI doesn’t tell the whole story. The composition of your body is crucial. I have been up to the UNR Medical School Center for Metabolic Studies several times since my cancer went into remission, and had a complete body composition analysis. My ratio of lean tissue to fat is excellent. Yeah, it could also be better, too. I keep my insulin levels down and on an even keel with a diet very low in refined/simple carbohydrates, and high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Lean protein in moderation. I exercise religiously. As you will see, insulin levels could be driving part of the train with some sub-types of breast cancer.

Mine was a Triple Negative, but each cancer is a hghly diverse population. You can have cells that don’t conform to the sub-type. They’re wild cards. Rogues. Little hidden assassins.

When I look around today, and see so many young women that are overweight and obese, it frightens me. I see a breast cancer epidemic in the making.

Read on:

Weighing the impact of obesity

by Melissa Weber

The research has been pretty clear: Obese women with breast cancer are at higher
risk for recurrence and death. But now, new findings suggest the poor outcome
for obese patients depends on whether they have the most common
subtype—estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Obese women treated with chemotherapy after surgery had worse overall survival
and disease-free survival than non-obese patients

Click to read more ...

Health and wellness factoids

Courtesy of the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, April, 2009 issue:

For the first time, more Americans are obese than merely overweight. about 34% of us are now obese, up from 23% two decades ago, while the percentage for overweight has stayed at 33%. And 6% are severely obese, double the earlier number. For someone 5’8” tall, overweight is 165 to 196 pounds, obese is over 197 pounds, and severely obese starts at 263 pounds, based on body mass index (BMI). To figure out where you stand, go to the BMI calculator at the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute.

Click to read more ...

Obesity worsens locally advanced breast cancer prognosis

Friends and family may wonder why I seem so obsessed with keeping my weight in check after breast cancer. Although I was of a very small, normal weight at time of my diagnosis, I had previously been about 40 pounds overweight during my late 30’s and early 40’s. I don’t know if there is a definite link, but it’s sure suspicious. This I know, adipose fat feeds the body estrogren, and that will feed estrogren receptor positive breast cancer.

Click to read more ...