Obesity and Cancer Rehabilitation for Functional Recovery and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Comprehensive Review

• Published in: Cancers Vol. 16; no. 3; p. 521
• Main Authors: Lippi, Lorenzo, de Sire, Alessandro, Folli, Arianna, Turco, Alessio, Moalli, Stefano, Marcasciano, Marco, Ammendolia, Antonio, Invernizzi, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 25.01.2024
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Adipose tissue; Angiogenesis; B cells; Body fat; Breast cancer; Cancer; Cancer patients; Care and treatment; Cytokines; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Estrogens; Fatalities; Gastrointestinal surgery; Hormones; Human subjects; Immune system; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Insulin-like growth factors; Liraglutide; Lorcaserin; Medical prognosis; Obesity; Oncology, Experimental; Ovaries; Pain; Patients; Prostate; Public health; Qualitative research; Quality of life; Recovery of function; Rehabilitation; Risk assessment; Survival; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Type 2 diabetes; Womens health; World health; Canada; morbid obesity; rehabilitation; breast cancer; obesity management; health-related quality of life; physical exercise; treatment outcome; personalized medicine
• ISSN: 2072-6694; 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030521

Obesity is a global health challenge with increasing prevalence, and its intricate relationship with cancer has become a critical concern in cancer care. As a result, understanding the multifactorial connections between obesity and breast cancer is imperative for risk stratification, tailored screening, and rehabilitation treatment planning to address long-term survivorship issues. The review follows the SANRA quality criteria and includes an extensive literature search conducted in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus. The biological basis linking obesity and cancer involves complex interactions in adipose tissue and the tumor microenvironment. Various mechanisms, such as hormonal alterations, chronic inflammation, immune system modulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, contribute to cancer development. The review underlines the importance of comprehensive oncologic rehabilitation, including physical, psychological, and nutritional aspects. Cancer rehabilitation plays a crucial role in managing obesity-related symptoms, offering interventions for physical impairments, pain management, and lymphatic disorders, and improving both physical and psychological well-being. Personalized and technology-driven approaches hold promise for optimizing rehabilitation effectiveness and improving long-term outcomes for obese cancer patients. The comprehensive insights provided in this review contribute to the evolving landscape of cancer care, emphasizing the importance of tailored rehabilitation in optimizing the well-being of obese cancer patients.