Systemic inflammation and risk of all-cause mortality after invasive breast cancer diagnosis among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women from New Mexico. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Connor, Avonne E.; Dibble, Kate E.; Boone, Stephanie D.; Baumgartner, Kathy B.; Baumgartner, Richard N.
• Is Part Of: Cancer epidemiology. Volume 76(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Breast cancer -- Inflammation -- Mortality -- Ethnicity; Cancer -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Carcinogenesis -- Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2021.102092
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1877-7821

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-II (sTNF-R2), a pro-inflammatory biomarker, is associated with obesity and breast cancer (BC). The association between sTNF-R2 and risk of mortality after BC has not been studied, specifically among Hispanic women, an at-risk population due to their high prevalence of obesity and poor prognosis. We examined the association between sTNF-R2 and mortality among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white (NHW) BC survivors. Methods: A total of 397 invasive BC survivors (96 Hispanic, 301 NHW) contributed baseline interview data and blood samples. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for clinical factors including body mass index. Results: After a median follow-up time of 13 years, 133 deaths occurred. The association between high vs low levels of plasma sTNF-R2 and mortality was not statistically significant overall (HR, 1.32; 95% CI 0.89–1.98). However, when stratified the mortality risk among Hispanic women was nearly 3-fold (HR, 2.83; 95% CI 1.21–6.63), while risk among NHW women was attenuated (HR, 0.99; 95% CI 0.61–1.61) ( p -interaction=0.10). Conclusion: Our results suggest Hispanic BC survivors with high sTNF-R2 levels may have increased risk of mortality and could inform targeted interventions to reduce inflammation and improve outcomes. Highlights: Obese breast cancer survivors had high levels of inflammation. Among all survivors, high inflammation levels were not associated with mortality. But the risk of mortality among Hispanic breast cancer survivors was nearly 3-fold.