Skip to content
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus CU Anschutz
  • Webmail
  • UCD Access
  • Canvas
  • Quick Links
 

Tools & Resources

  • Events Calendar
  • Newsroom
  • Strauss Health Sciences Library
  • Department A-Z Directory
  • Campus Directory
  • Leadership
  • Faculty & Staff Resources
  • Supporter & Alumni Resources
  • Student Resources
  • Campus Map
  • University Policies
  • Give Now

CU Campuses

  • CU Anschutz Medical Campus
  • CU Boulder
  • CU Colorado Springs
  • CU Denver
  • CU System
  • CU Online

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

  • School of Dental Medicine
  • Graduate School
  • School of Medicine
  • College of Nursing
  • Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Colorado School of Public Health

Division of Medical Oncology

School of Medicine

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • Division Head | Wells Messersmith, MD, FACP
    • Deputy Division Head | Virginia Borges, MD, MMSc
  • Research
  • Cancer Care
    • CARE Clinic
    • Clinical Trials
    • Find a Provider
    • Satellite Locations
  • Education
  • Giving
  • Newsroom
  • Division Resources
  • Division Directory
    • Clinical & Research Faculty
    • Research Services Personnel
    • Administrative Staff
University Quick Links
  • Home
  • Newsroom

Medical Oncology Newsroom

R01Supports Study of Correlation Between Obesity and Breast Cancer

Apr 12, 2022



   

Division of Medical Oncology Associate Professor, Peter Kabos, MD, is part of a group of researchers exploring whether dietary strategies can help breast cancer survivors prevent tumors from recurring.  Dr. Kabos along with Paul MacLean, PhD, and Victoria Catenacci, MD, have received a $3 million R01 NIH grant to study the impact of obesity on breast cancer, looking specifically to see if intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding may help prevent risk of recurrence in women who recently completed treatment for breast cancer.

“This is a question that we get from patients all the time, what type of strategies should they take to improve their outcomes both during and after treatment?  What we’re trying to do is put data behind that answer" says Dr. Kabos.  

Studies show that obesity can lead to higher risk of incidence or recurrence of breast cancer, and as part of their study, Drs. Kabos and MacLean hope to gain a better understanding of the connection.  The foundation of the grant hypothesizes an interplay in the tumor microenvironment between large hypertrophic adipocytes and cancer associated fibroblasts which are working together to create a pro-metastatic tumor microenvironment.  Drs. Kabos and MacLean hypothesize that if they are able to help their patients lose weight, thereby shrinking the adipocytes, making them less inflammatory, the interplay between cancer-associated fibroblasts and these adipocytes would be disrupted thus changing the microarchitecture in which the tumor resides, improving outcomes.  

Intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding are trending in diet culture right now, and Drs. Kabos and MacLean hope to determine whether these approaches have differing physiological benefits from a standard calorie restricted diet.  According to Dr. Kabos,  “There’s data that shows intermittent fasting reduces the toxicity of chemotherapies, but obesity and metabolic syndrome are part of the setup for breast cancer progression or recurrence. That's what we're really trying to study how to best approach and implement in patients.”

The ultimate goal of this five year study is to provide women recovering from breast cancer with another resource to improve outcomes while also identifying new strategies for cancer prevention and management.  “The long-term vision is to personalize health and wellness for all patients with cancer.  In this case, we're studying women with breast cancer and personalizing that part of their care. It's not just about beneficial outcomes or reducing the recurrence, but how can we personalize and put data behind improving the well-being of each individual?” says Dr. Kabos.  

Original Story


 YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

CU ANSCHUTZ NEWS

CU CANCER CENTER NEWS

DIVISION OF HEMATOLOGY

UCHEALTH TODAY

Medical Oncology (SOM)

CU Anschutz

Research I South

12801 East 17th Avenue

8122

Aurora, CO 80045


720-848-0300

Facebook Twitter
School
  • School of Medicine Home
  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Researcher
  • Departments
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • School Profiles
General
  • Affiliate/Partner Hospitals
  • CU Medicine
  • A-Z Index
  • Directory
  • Map and Parking
  • Webmail
Students
  • Apply Now
  • Alumni
  • Canvas
  • Health Science Library
  • Student Life
  • Colorado Springs Branch
  • Contact Us
  • Website Feedback
  • CU System
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility
  • Accreditation
  • Employment
  • Give Now
 

© 2023 The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.

CMS Login

Webmail

UCD Access

Canvas

Opens in a new window Opens document in a new window