Weight Gain Patterns and Factors Associated with the Regimen Type for Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

Abstract

PURPOSE：Weight gain is a remarkable side effect of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients. This study aimed to identify weight gain patterns and factors among women receiving several major types of chemotherapy regimen.

PATIENTS AND METHODS：Data were collected on 93 Japanese women receiving chemotherapy with FEC, TC, DOC or PTX for breast cancer. We prospectively evaluated weight, body mass index（BMI）, body composition, serum protein and serum cholesterol before（baseline）and after treatment（post-treatment）.

RESULTS：There was no significant change in weight/BMI from baseline to the post-treatment in either the FEC group or the PTX group. The rate of weight increase correlated significantly with the body fat mass in both the FEC group（p＜0.000）and DOC group（p＝0.004）. Participants in the FEC group only showed a significant increase in serum cholesterol after treatment（p＜0.000）. The median change in weight was＋2.30kg in the TC group（p＝0.002）and＋3.25kg in the DOC group（p＝0.003）. There was a significant increase in extracellular water（p＝0.002）and a decrease in serum protein（p＜0.000）in the TC group, similar to those seen in the DOC group（p＝0.006/p＝0.025）. The mean increase rates were 3‒4％ for body weight and 5‒6％ for extracellular water.

CONCLUSIONS：Although no significant change in weight gain was seen in women receiving the FEC regimen, there would be some possibility of sarcopenic obesity from weight increase associated with body fat mass. The weight gain in patients receiving either the TC or DOC regimen was possibly owing to Docetaxel-induced fluid retention. Therefore, weight management during chemotherapy for breast cancer patients would be expected according to the features associated with the regimen type.