Weight Management Effectiveness and Predictors of Dropout in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Retrospective Study

Edda Cava; Daniele Spadaccini; Gianluca Aimaretti; Paolo Marzullo; Beatrice Cavigiolo; Deborah Farinelli; Alessandra Gennari; Chiara Saggia; Maria Grazia Carbonelli; Sergio Riso; Flavia Prodam

doi:10.3390/cancers15174401

Weight Management Effectiveness and Predictors of Dropout in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Retrospective Study

Cancers (Basel). 2023 Sep 2;15(17):4401. doi: 10.3390/cancers15174401.

Authors

Edda Cava¹, Daniele Spadaccini², Gianluca Aimaretti^{2

3}, Paolo Marzullo^{2

3}, Beatrice Cavigiolo³, Deborah Farinelli⁴, Alessandra Gennari⁵, Chiara Saggia⁵, Maria Grazia Carbonelli¹, Sergio Riso⁴, Flavia Prodam^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Dietetic and Clinical Nutrition, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, 00149 Rome, Italy.
² Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.
³ SCDU Endocrinology, University Hospital "Maggiore della Carità", Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.
⁴ Unit of Dietetic and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital "Maggiore della Carità", 28100 Novara, Italy.
⁵ Division of Oncology, University Hospital "Maggiore della Carità", Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Reducing obesity and weight gain, which often occurs during breast cancer treatment, may represent an efficient secondary or tertiary prevention against cancer.

Purpose: This retrospective observational cohort study aimed to assess the impact of a Mediterranean diet on weight and anthropometric changes in women completing active breast cancer treatment. Additionally, we sought to identify factors associated with study dropout within one year.

Methods: A total of 182 female patients (20 normal weight, 59 overweight, 103 obese) received personalized Mediterranean diet interventions and underwent monthly outpatient visits.

Results: Dropout rates were 42.3% at 6 months and 64.1% at 12 months. Among the obese subgroup, BMI (p < 0.001) and fat mass (p < 0.05) decreased after 6 months. At 12 months, the obese subgroup showed a borderline significant further reduction in BMI (p = 0.062). BMI or weight loss did not predict dropout at any time point. However, age (OR = 0.91) and diastolic blood pressure (OR = 1.07) were significant predictors of dropout at 12 months.

Conclusion: Implementing a Mediterranean diet can lead to weight and anthropometric improvements in breast cancer survivors. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term effects of weight loss on these individuals, identify effective dietary approaches, and consider specific predictors of dropout.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; breast cancer; breast cancer survivors; prevention; weight management.

Grants and funding

This publication is part of the project AGE-IT which has received funding from the MUR- M4C2 1.3 of PNRR with grant agreement no. PE0000015 and project NODES, which has received funding from the MUR-M4C2 1.5 of PNRR with grant agreement no. ECS00000036. This research was partially supported by PRIN grant (2020NCKXBR_004; SIDERALE Project) from the Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca (MUR).