Low-fat diet, statins have impact on DCIS?
Meet the Experts
Hope S. Rugo, M.D. is a clinical professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she directs the Breast Oncology Clinical Trials Program.
Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. is a breast cancer oncologist at Paoli Hematology-Oncology Associates in Paoli, Pa., with a special interest in physicians' communication skills.
Question from Kdg: Do the low-fat diet and statins have any impact on DCIS?
- Answers —Hope Rugo, M.D.: There are two streams of data available now. First, the low-fat diet that was studied in the WINS trial where just the initial data were presented. This suggested that low-fat diets or weight loss reduced the risk of recurrence from early stage breast cancer when appropriate systemic therapy was also given. In other words, women on the WINS trial were required to have received standard adjuvant therapy for their cancer. The WINS study showed a greater effect from a low-fat diet in women who are estrogen receptor negative. This data and information remains to be clarified with further follow-up from women on the trial.
Other studies have looked at low-fat diets and suggested similar results. And a recent study showed that moderate exercise also appears to reduce the risk of recurrence from early stage breast cancer.
There haven't been any studies yet, though, looking at statins as a treatment for women with invasive cancer. They just looked at women who took statins by prescription, and did not look at family history or hormone replacement therapy. It was suggested from that data that taking statins for at least four years reduced the risk of recurrence in a population of women who had a low incidence anyway. It would be expected that exercising and keeping one's weight controlled would likely be a net positive benefit, not just for DCIS but for general health as well. In terms of statins, this is being investigated. We don't have any data where we've given statins to some women and placebos to the others.
At my institution, Dr. Laura Esserman is studying the biologic effects of statins in women with DCIS. Women receive two weeks of statin therapy before their surgery for DCIS and then the biologic changes in the DCIS are studied in the tumor that is removed. Hopefully this data will be used on a national basis to look at the effect of statins on women with DCIS. - Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.: As one of my patients said to me in the office yesterday, “You mean now I really do have to renew my membership to my gym?”
On Wednesday, June 15, 2005 our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Updates from the 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting. Hope Rugo, M.D. and moderator Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. answered your questions on the latest research advances presented at the 2005 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando, FL.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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