Women With High Metabolic Syndrome Scores Have an Elevated Risk of Breast Cancer Mortality

Women with more metabolic syndrome (MetS) components (obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and high cholesterol) face a higher risk of dying from breast cancer, according to study published in CANCER.

Researchers analyzed 63,330 postmenopausal participants in the Women’s Health Initiative clinical trial without prior breast cancer who all had normal entry mammograms and MetS scores (0-4). After a median follow-up of 23.2 years, there were 4562 incident breast cancer cases and 659 deaths from breast cancer.

The results showed that a higher MetS score (3-4), regardless of obesity, was associated with more estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative breast cancers with poor prognosis and a 44% higher risk of breast cancer mortality. The study also found that obesity, regardless of MetS score, was associated with more ER-positive, PR-positive cancers with good prognosis. Only women with severe obesity had a higher risk of breast cancer mortality.

“Postmenopausal women with higher MetS scores are a previously unrecognized population at higher breast cancer mortality risk,” said lead author Rowan T. Chlebowski, MD, PhD, of the Lundquist Institute, via a press release. “Determination of MetS scores in the clinic requires only 3 questions regarding cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension history, as well as waist circumference and blood pressure measurements, which are commonly determined during routine visits.”