Holistic Wisdom Corporation

Overweight Women More Likely To Die
From Breast Cancer

A new study shows body weight at diagnosis may be an important predictor of breast cancer death in early-stage disease. Among patients with early-stage breast cancer in the study, researchers found women in the highest weight category of 175 pounds and over experienced a 2.5-fold increased risk of dying from breast cancer compared to women in the lowest weight category of less than 133 pounds.

They also found women with estrogen receptor-negative cancer had a two-fold increased risk of dying from breast cancer compared to women with ER-positive cancer, regardless of their stage at diagnosis.

Heavier women with early-stage disease and with ER-negative tumors had a nearly five-fold increased risk of dying compared to lighter women with ER-positive tumors. Investigators did not find an increased risk of breast cancer death with increasing body weight for women with higher-stage disease. However, the risk of breast cancer death increased for women with higher-stage disease who had ER-negative cancers regardless of body weight.

The Good News? There is substantial evidence suggesting that physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. Read more about how to achieve safe weight loss.