title: Changes in body composition during breast cancer chemotherapy with the CMF-regimen.
abstract: Weight gain is a reported problem associated with adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer and often generates psychosocial stress in women [1]. It also may affect prognosis and survival. Changes in body composition and weight during chemotherapy, particularly adjuvant treatment of breast carcinoma, have been previously reported [1-3]. Multiple reasons for this weight gain have been suggested though few theories have been scientifically validated [4]. The aim of this study was to investigate body composition and its relationship to weight change associated with the CMF-based breast cancer chemotherapy protocols. Total body nitrogen (TBN), body fat, total body water (TBW), and anthropometric measurements were conducted on 25 female out-patients (median age 47, range 26-70 years) receiving adjuvant CMF-based chemotherapy for breast cancer. Total body nitrogen was measured using the In Vivo Neutron Capture Analysis (IVNCA) technique (on day 1 of cycles 2-6) and TBP was calculated by multiplying TBN by 6.25 [5]. Nitrogen Index (NI) was calculated by expressing TBN as a percentage of normal. There was a significant increase in mean body weight during chemotherapy of 2.35 kg (p < 0.0001). Serial measurements showed no significant change in mean TBN, NI, or percentage body fat. Break down of body weight showed a significant increase in mean TBW of 0.79 kg (p = 0.003) and mean fat mass of 1.49 kg (p = 0.008). We conclude that weight gain observed during adjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma is primarily due to an increase in fat and TBW.
authors.affiliation: Center for In Vivo Body Composition, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia. aaslani@bigfoot.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aslani
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavlakis
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Levi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate