Research

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Weight gain after breast cancer diagnosis, particularly following adjuvant chemotherapy, is a common occurrence that is associated with increased recurrence risk and reduced survival.

It is common to gain weight after starting chemotherapy for breast cancer. This weight gain is not just cosmetic; it is linked to a higher chance of the cancer coming back and lower survival rates. Patients should be monitored for weight changes during treatment, as preventing this gain may improve long-term outcomes.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Weight gain after diagnosis has been frequently reported for breast cancer patients, especially among women receiving systemic adjuvant chemotherapy... women with weight gain exceeding the median of 5.9 kg were 1.5 times as likely to relapse and 1.6 times as likely to die.
Rowan T. Chlebowski · Journal of Clinical Oncology · 2002

Why this rating

Based on prospective cohort studies, but the paper notes that prospective studies specifically addressing the relative importance of weight gain remain to be fully conducted.

Source

Weight Loss in Breast Cancer Patient Management

Rowan T. Chlebowski · Journal of Clinical Oncology · 2002

DOI 10.1200/jco.20.4.1128

narrative_reviewCited 227×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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