title: Pre-diagnosis blood glucose and prognosis in women with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of moderately elevated blood glucose levels among non-diabetic subjects on cancer prognosis is not well described. The goal of this study was to examine the association of elevated random blood glucose (RBG) levels in non-diabetic breast cancer patients with overall survival (OS) and time to tumor recurrence (TTR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine deaths and 32 recurrences occurred among 148 eligible study subjects during 855.44 person-years of follow-up, with median follow-up of 5.97 years. We observed that patients with elevated RBG levels experienced significantly shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR], 3.01; 95 % confidence interval [CI] (1.70-5.33); P < 0.001) and shorter TTR (HR, 2.08; CI (1.04-4.16); P = 0.04) as compared to patients with non-elevated RBG levels. After controlling for tumor grade, tumor stage, race, and BMI, elevated RBG continued to display high and statistically significant association with shorter OS (HR, 3.50; CI (1.87-6.54); P < 0.001). Adjustment for age, race, and BMI strengthened HR of RBG for TTR. The association of RGB with TTR lost its borderline statistical significance upon controlling for both tumor grade and stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that elevated blood glucose is associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. Given the potential clinical implication, these findings warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St., Slot #824, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Behjatolah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Monzavi-Karbassi
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gentry
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Varinder
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jousheghany
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Srikanth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Medarametla
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Fuhrman
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: A Mazin
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Safar
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Laura F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hutchins
authors.affiliation: Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St., Slot #824, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kieber-Emmons
keywords: Blood glucose; Breast cancer; Patient survival