Biological Characteristics of Breast Cancer in Obesity

Abstract

Biological characteristics of breast cancer in obese patients were investigated in comparison with nonobese patients. Patients (134) with breast cancer were divided into 3 categories: thin, normal and obese based on height and weight. Five year survival rate was 55.6% in obese patients; it was 79.9% in nonobese patients including thin and normal subjects. A cause for unfavorable prognosis in obese patients with breast cancer was clinically and histologically investigated. In obese patients the primary tumor, regional lymph node involvement and clinical stage were relatively advanced, scirrhous carcinoma was predominant (46%), the tumor margin was more infiltrative (.gamma.-type 64%), the incidence of vascular involvement was high (73%), lymph node metastases were frequent (58%) and nuclear grade was low.