Chemotherapy negatively impacts body composition, physical function and metabolic profile in patients with breast cancer

Background: Evidence suggests that chemotherapy (CT) leads to unfavorable outcomes on nutritional and metabolic profile; however, this is poorly understood.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of CT on body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), insulin resistance, lipid markers related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer according to menopausal status.

Methods: This is a prospective study that enrolled women newly diagnosed with stage II-III breast cancer (2014-18). Body composition were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Blood samples were collected to assess lipid profile, insulin resistance and sensitivity, visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product were calculated. Dietary intake, physical activity and function were also evaluated at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and after CT completion.

Results: Ninety-nine women (40.4% in the premenopausal stage) aged 51 ± 1 years took part in this study. CT duration was 197 ± 27 days and main regimen was anthracyclines with taxanes (88.9%). CT was associated with an increase in total and central adiposity, insulin resistance, and all lipid-related markers, and a decrease in appendicular lean mass index, BMD and HDL-c concentration. Premenopausal women experienced greater unfavorable outcomes on adiposity markers and BMD compared to postmenopausal women (p < 0.01). No changes were observed in dietary intake and physical activity after CT.

Conclusions: Breast cancer CT negatively impacted body composition and metabolic profile. Premenopausal women experienced greater unfavorable impact on adiposity markers and BMD.