Being Overweight Raises Risk of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Too much body fat may increase women's risk of triple-negative breast cancer, a rarer and more aggressive form of the disease; claims in a new study.
According to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, this type of breast cancer is diagnosed when a cancer lacks three "receptors" associated with breast cancer tumors: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Triple negative breast cancer does respond to chemotherapy, but more targeted receptor treatments typically don't work.
For the new study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, scientists analyzed data on 155,723 women taking part in a study on the effects of hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women. Scientists focused on the body mass index (BMI) and exercise levels of the 307 women in the study who were diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, and the 2,610 women who had estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers.
Researchers discovered the women with the highest BMI had a 35% higher risk of triple-negative breast cancers, and a 39% increased risk of estrogen-fed breast cancers. Body fat has been shown to produce more estrogen.
Overall, the scientists say the effect was "modest," but the results may offer new ways for women to reduce their risk of triple-negative breast cancer.
In 2008, World Health Organization (WHO) data says cancer killed 7.6 million people worldwide. Breast cancer accounted for 460,000 deaths; fifth in line, behind lung, stomach, liver, and colon cancer. And according to WHO research, in 2008, 1.5 billion adults, ages 20 and up, were overweight; 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese.
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