Decoding the association between breast cancer prevalence and obesity-induced metabolic disorders

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy diagnosed among women worldwide, constituting approximately one-third of all recorded female cancers. It is also the prominent cause of cancer-related mortality among women. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between BC prevalence and certain metabolic disorders such as obesity and Insulin Resistance (IR) as well as hormonal disorders.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify potential metabolic risk factors that were associated with BC prevalence. The study included 203 BC patients from the breast clinics at medical and oncology centers and 80 healthy subjects (HS). BC patients were divided into four groups according to their body mass index (BMI). Baseline characteristics, Lipid profile, IR, leptin-adiponectin ratio, and Inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated in BC patients and HSResults: Our data indicated that the highest prevalence rates of BC were observed among participants aged 40-47 years and those aged 48 years and above. 54 patients were classified as obese I (BMI 30.0-34.9), whereas 84 patients were Obese II (BMI 35.0-39.9). There was a prominent association between BC prevalence and family history, and estrogen receptor (ER) positively. Dyslipidemia and IR indices were significantly elevated in obese BC patients compared to HS. Overweight BC patients (BMI 25.0-29.9) also revealed significantly increased leptin levels, and clear decline in adiponectin levels. In addition, patients with higher BMI “had significantly increased in levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), IL-6, IL-1b, TNF-a, Resistin, Nesfatin-1 and Lipocalin-2.Conclusion: BC prevalence is associated with obesity-IR axis and its consequences. Our data demonstrate that IR indices, adipokines and inflammatory biomarkers could serve as feasible predictors in oncology for monitoring the BC risk and progression in obese women.KeywordsBreast cancer, Metabolic disorders, Insulin Resistance, Nesfatin-1, Lipocalin-2