Effect of postoperative chemotherapy on blood glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with invasive breast cancer.

Background: Chemotherapy can lead to abnormal metabolism and affect the quality of life of patients after operation. Here we explore the effect of postoperative chemotherapy on blood glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with invasive breast cancer and thus provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of blood glucose and lipid disorders after surgery.

Methods: From January 2019 to December 2020, data from 141 patients with invasive breast cancer in our hospital were retrospectively collected. The levels of fasting blood glucose and blood lipid profiles [including total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)] were compared before and after chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the metabolic risk factors for abnormal blood glucose and lipid profiles were analyzed.

Results: Fasting blood glucose levels significantly increased after treatment (5.21±0.89 4.87±0.71 mmol/L, P=0.000), as did those of triglyceride (1.81±1.02 1.26±0.67 mmol/L, P=0.000), while HDL significantly decreased (1.11±0.29 1.32±0.33 mmol/L, P=0.000). There were no significant differences in the levels of total cholesterol and LDL before and after treatment (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that anthracycline-based chemotherapy was a protective factor for elevated fasting blood glucose [P=0.035, 95% CI: 0.248 (0.068-0.908)], whereas receiving >6 cycles of chemotherapy was a risk factor for elevated fasting blood glucose (P=0.026, 95% CI: 4.036 (1.178-13.825)].

Conclusions: Postoperative chemotherapy can lead to the elevated triglyceride and fasting blood glucose and decreased HDL in patients with breast cancer. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is a protective factor for the increase of fasting blood glucose, and more than 6 cycles of chemotherapy is a risk factor for the increase of fasting blood glucose.