weight gain and breast cancer

Did everyone see tonight's story on the News about weight gain and breast cancer? It said:

"The amount of weight a woman gains after age 18 is a strong signal as to whether she will get breast cancer later in life, according to new research released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society.

In one of the largest studies of weight and breast cancer to date, researchers said older women who gained 20 to 30 pounds after high school graduation were 40 percent more likely to get breast cancer than women who kept the weight off.

The risk doubled if a woman gained more than 70 pounds, said Heather Spencer Feigelson, senior epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society.

"Breast cancer is strongly dependent on body weight," Feigelson said. "Even modest amounts of weight gain lead to a significantly increased risk of breast cancer."

I'm curious as to how many of us on this board did gain those 20 or more pounds and what bearing it has on those of us who are er/pr negative. Any ideas out there?

I already asked my breast surgeon about weight gain with breast cancer last summer. She said that at first it was believable, but then the weight gain issue has become very controversial, based on recent data. She told me that it's now more of a personal opinion, not a scientific fact. Looks like further studying would be needed, after all...

I, for one, say this is bull. My weight was always 100-104 prior to my bc dx in 2001. Since that time, thanks to chemo, steroids, effexor, decadron, tamoxifen, etc, etc, I've gained around 20 pounds. It always amazes me though how they try to tag "weight" onto every disease. Just my thoughts on the subject.

I weigh less now than I did in High School and it didn't keep me from developing Breast Cancer...I think more research is needed on this!!!

I was just fine UNTIL i got BC. Now I have gained 30 pounds since being on treatment and it doesn't come off just because treatment is over either. Very discouraging. I would say breast cancer causes weight gain instead of the other way around!!

Never had a weight problem until the cancer. I gained weight after the chemo stopped. The physician's assistant said that the chemo slows the metabolism way down, so in addition to having had the sh***y disease, now I have to worry about losing weight!

shelley

my wife only gained about 12 lbs since 18 (diagnosed in Oct at age 41) and exercised regulary. er-/pr-/her2+. so much for the stats!

I know plenty of skinny women with breast cancer... come to think of it, lots of them are overweight too....