An Evaluation of Metabolic, Dietetic, and Nutritional Status Reveals Impaired Nutritional Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Nutritional status can change in breast cancer patients after treatment. However, the metabolic implications of those alterations are poorly understood. We used a cross-sectional study design to compare body composition, lipids, glucose levels, and adiposity indices in breast cancer patients with a matched control and a healthy group. We recruited women who completed their chemotherapy (BC group) and compared them with a group of women without cancer age and body mass index-paired (MC group) and a group of healthy women (HC group). We estimated body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis, physical function by handgrip strength, and food consumption by 24-hour food record. A blood sample was collected. We calculated visceral obesity indices (VAI and LAP) and insulin resistance-triglyceride glucose (TyG). Eighty-eight women were included (BC = 36, MC = 36, HC = 16). BC patients demonstrated worse phase angle values, nutritional risk index and lower handgrip strength. Additionally, according to the indices, BC had impairments in lipids, worse glucose levels, and elevated visceral fat adiposity and presented important unhealthy dietary patterns characterized by under-recommended protein consumption and higher caloric intake than the other groups. No differences were observed between both control groups. Further investigations are required to examine the underlying mechanisms and the potential longitudinal changes during surveillance.

Acknowledgments

We thank all the research groups on Nutrition and Breast Cancer of the University of São Paulo, especially the students who assisted in all phases of the study.

Authors’ Contributions

The authors’ responsibilities were as follows—AAJJ: conceptualized the study; BRS, LAPC, TOG, and AAJJ: were responsible for the research design; BRS and LAPC: conducted the research and analyzed the data; BRS, MM, and AAJJ: wrote this article and had primary responsibility for final content; and all authors: contributed to data interpretation and read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

BRS was funded by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). Grant number: 2017/07963-0 and FAPESP fellowship Grant number: 2019/09877-9. LAPC was funded by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – CAPES Brasil (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, in free translation) – Financing Code 001 Doctoral scholarship granted.