Epidemiology

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Body mass and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis

  1. Yadong Cui1,†,*,
  2. Maura K. Whiteman1,
  3. Jodi A. Flaws1,
  4. Patricia Langenberg1,
  5. Katherine H. Tkaczuk2,
  6. Trudy L. Bush1,‡

Article first published online: 31 DEC 2001

DOI: 10.1002/ijc.10209

Issue

International Journal of Cancer

International Journal of Cancer

Volume 98, Issue 2, pages 279–283, 10 March 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Cui, Y., Whiteman, M. K., Flaws, J. A., Langenberg, P., Tkaczuk, K. H. and Bush, T. L. (2002), Body mass and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis. International Journal of Cancer, 98: 279–283. doi: 10.1002/ijc.10209

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

  2. 2

    Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

  1. †

    Fax: +410-706-1503

  2. ‡

    We regret that Dr. Trudy L. Bush is now deceased.

*c/o Jodi A. Flaws, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, 660 West Redwood Street, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 FEB 2002
  2. Article first published online: 31 DEC 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 2 NOV 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 23 OCT 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 31 JUL 2001

Funded by

  • U.S. Department of Defense. Grant Number: DAMD-17-00-0321
  • Women's Health Research Group at the University of Maryland

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Keywords:

  • breast cancer;
  • stage;
  • body mass;
  • obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a well-known risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. In contrast, the relationship between obesity and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis is less clear. We hypothesized that increased breast size in obese women may delay discovery of breast tumors. Thus, the purpose of our study was to examine whether there is an association between body mass and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis using hospital medical records. Newly diagnosed breast cancer cases (n = 966) in the Baltimore metropolitan area from 1991 to 1997 were included in our study. Patient information including age, ethnicity, weight, height and pathology data were obtained from hospital medical records. High body mass was significantly associated with late stage of breast cancer at diagnosis. Women who were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 27.3) were more likely to be at an advanced stage at diagnosis compared with women with a BMI of < 27.3 (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–2.14). The association between body mass and stage at diagnosis was stronger among women younger than 50 years (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.34–4.08) compared with women 50 years or older (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.89–1.91). Our study suggests that higher body mass is associated with advanced stage of breast cancer at diagnosis. This finding may be of considerable concern, given the increasing prevalence of obesity in women in the United States and the poor prognosis associated with late-stage tumors. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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