The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Newly Diagnosed Malaysian Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: The incidence of breast cancer has increased in South East Asian (SEA) women. Malaysia has the highest obesity rates in SEA. Malaysian Breast Cancer Survivorship Cohort (MyBCC) study is a hospital-based prospective cohort study that aims to study the association between lifestyle factors and overall survival and quality of life of Malaysian breast cancer patients. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increasing levels of inflammatory cytokines and leptin that can stimulate cell proliferation through various mechanisms, hence indicating both an increased risk of developing breast cancer and a poorer prognosis. However, there is very scarce information available on the presence of MS among the newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. This is an early report of the presence of MS in the MyBCC study. Aim: We aim to evaluate the presence of MS among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and to determine the association of MS and sociodemographic factors. Methods: 370 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were interviewed at baseline. The anthropometric data (waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight, body height and body fat percentage) and also blood for lipid profile and glucose profile were collected. The MS status of the patients was defined using a modified International Diabetes Federation worldwide definition; presence of central obesity (waist circumference ≥ 80 cm) and any of two or more of the following criteria: (i) raised triglyceride with ≥ 1.7 mmol/L, (ii) reduced HDL-cholesterol that < 1.3 mmol/L, (iii) diagnosed with hypertension and (iv) diagnosed with diabetes. Results: Among the 370 breast cancer patients, most were aged 51 years and above (258, 69.7%), were Chinese (180, 48.6%), had secondary school education level (168, 45.4%), had less than RM3500 household income (193, 52.2%) and were postmenopausal (250, 67.6%). Most of the patients were obese or overweight (268, 72.4%) and around half of the patients (190, 51.4%) had high body fat percentage. 140 patients had MS (37.8%). MS was significantly higher among patients aged 61 years and above (59, 42.1%) and 51 to 60 years (50, 35.7%) compared with 20 to 50 years of age group (31, 22.1%) ( P < 0.05). The patients with MS were significantly higher among Chinese ethnicity (57, 40.7%), unemployed (95, 70.4%), and postmenopausal (108, 77.1%) ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of MS is high in newly diagnosed Malaysian breast cancer patients. With longer follow-up, further analysis will be done to look at association with outcomes.