A cluster of characteristics that include High cholesterol, obesity, high blood sugar and high blood pressure - dubbed metabolic syndrome - has been linked previously to the development of diabetes and heart disease. Now, Italian researchers say it is “an important prognostic factor” in the recurrence of breast cancer.

“Previous studies suggested that several aspects of metabolic syndrome, such as low HDL-cholesterol, high blood glucose, high triglycerides, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and high levels of insulin ... are associated with breast cancer risk,” Dr. Patrizia Pasanisi told Reuters Health.

“However, this is the first report addressing the issue of whether breast cancer prognosis is affected by metabolic syndrome,” said the researcher from the Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milano.

Pasanisi and colleagues evaluated 110 women who underwent surgery for breast cancer at least 12 months earlier and who volunteered to participate in a year-long dietary intervention study.

The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed at the start of the study in 16 women, the team reports in the International Journal of Cancer. After 5.5 years of follow-up, 32 women developed breast cancer recurrences, including 8 of the 16 with metabolic syndrome.

Women with metabolic syndrome were three times more likely to have a recurrence of breast cancer as women without the syndrome.

“If the predictive value of metabolic syndrome is confirmed,” said Pasanisi, “we think that its evaluation should become part of the standard diagnostic workup of breast cancer patients, and dietary intervention to control the syndrome should be considered.”

SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, July 1, 2006.