BODY-WEIGHT AND VASCULAR INVASION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH BREAST-CANCER

To examine the relationship between body weight and vascular invasion (VI) around tumours in post-menopausal women with operable breast canc er, a retrospective study was conducted of 393 patients treated in a b reast unit between 1987 and 1991. Weight was measured at the time of d iagnosis. Vascular invasion was recorded as being present or absent. V ascular invasion was seen in slightly more of the 50 perimenopausal pa tients than in the 343 post-menopausal women (44% vs 36%). In the tumo ur specimens from post-menopausal patients weighing <50 kg, VI was obs erved in 11% compared with 45% of those weighing more than SO kg (P = 0.02). Furthermore, the 5-year survival of those with VI was 74% compa red with 91% for those without (P < 0.0001). Menopausal status and bod y weight may influence survival in patients with breast cancer, possib ly as a result of the presence of unopposed circulating oestrogens at the time of surgery. Oestrogens may alter cohesiveness of breast cance r cells and modulate secretion of proteases, thereby influencing invas ive potential. Excision of tumours in such an environment may have a d eleterious impact on survival.