A weight loss intervention involving diet and exercise has shown promise in improving inflammatory markers among women with HER2-negative breast cancer. Preliminary results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, highlighting the potential benefits of lifestyle changes in managing metabolic and inflammatory factors associated with breast cancer.
The BWEL trial is a phase 3 randomized study designed to evaluate the impact of a diet- and exercise-based weight-loss intervention on invasive disease-free survival (DFS) in 3,180 women diagnosed with stage 2 and 3 HER2-negative breast cancer, all with a BMI of at least 27 kg/m2.
Impact on Metabolic and Inflammatory Markers
According to Dr. Jennifer A. Ligibel, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the weight-loss intervention led to an average weight loss of 5.7% at 1 year compared to the control group. This weight loss was associated with significant improvements in metabolic hormones and inflammatory biomarkers. "There was about a 20% reduction in insulin levels; 25% improvement in insulin resistance; improvements in other metabolic markers and, to a lesser degree, inflammatory markers," Dr. Ligibel stated.
The study included nearly 2,900 women with an average BMI of 34 kg/m2. Most participants had hormone receptor-positive cancer and had undergone treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and/or endocrine therapy. The researchers assessed the impact of the weight-loss intervention on insulin, insulin resistance, leptin, and C-reactive protein.
Future Directions
Dr. Ligibel emphasized that the next phase of the study involves long-term follow-up to ascertain whether the observed favorable changes in biomarkers correlate with improved breast cancer outcomes. The findings suggest that lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss could play a crucial role in managing metabolic and inflammatory factors in breast cancer patients, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes.
