Association of Obesity With Breast Cancer Outcome in Relation to Cancer Subtypes: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Obesity at breast cancer (BC) diagnosis has been associated with poor outcome, although the magnitude of effect in different BC subtypes is uncertain. We report on the association of obesity or overweight at diagnosis of nonmetastatic BC with disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in the following defined subtypes: hormone receptor positive/HER2 negative (HR+HER2-), HER2 positive (HER2+), and triple negative (TNBC). Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and COCHRANE databases up to January 1, 2019. Study eligibility was performed independently by 2 authors. Studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) of OS and/or DFS for obesity or overweight in BC subtypes were included. The pooled hazard ratio was computed and weighted using generic inverse variance and random effects models. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included. Obese compared with nonobese women had worse DFS in all subtypes: the hazard ratios were 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13 to 1.41, P < .001) for HR+HER2- BC, 1.16 (95% CI = 1.06 to 1.26, P < .001) for HER2+ BC, and 1.17 (95% CI = 1.06 to 1.29, P = .001) for TNBC. OS was also worse in obese vs nonobese women (HR+HER2-BC HR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.20 to 1.62, P < .001; HER2+ BC HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.33, P =.006; and TNBC HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.13 to 1.53, P < 001). As opposed to obesity, overweight was not associated with either DFS or OS in HER2+ BC (HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.28, P =.85; and HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.76 to 1.21, P =.99, respectively) or TNBC (HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.93 to 1.18, P =.49; and HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.44, P =.17), respectively. In HR+HER2- BC, being overweight was associated with worse OS (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.22, P < .001). Conclusions: Obesity was associated with modestly worse DFS and OS in all BC subtypes.

Automated summary

Obesity was associated with slightly worse DFS and OS in all BC subtypes. Overweight was not associated with DFS or OS in HER2+ BC and TNBC, but was associated with worse OS in HR+HER2- BC.