Gut Microbiome and Symptom Burden in Obese and Non-Obese Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Catherine H. Cherwin; Jemmie Hoang; Emily K. Roberts; Ashutosh Mangalam

doi:10.1177/10998004251318397

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Gut Microbiome and Symptom Burden in Obese and Non-Obese Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Gut Microbiome and Symptom Burden in Obese and Non-Obese Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Catherine H. Cherwin, Jemmie Hoang, Emily K. Roberts and Ashutosh Mangalam

Biological research for nursing, Vol.27(3), pp.411-422

07/2025

DOI: 10.1177/10998004251318397

PMCID: PMC12633718

PMID: 39928757

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https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12633718/pdf/nihms-2121234.pdfView

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Abstract

Purpose: Obese women with breast cancer experience high symptom burden, poor quality of life, and increased mortality compared to non-obese women with breast cancer. Obesity-related changes to the bacteria of the gut, the GI microbiome, may be one such mechanism for these differences in outcomes. The purpose of this work is to report symptom burden and GI microbiome composition between obese and non-obese women with breast cancer to identify potential microbial influences for symptom severity. Methods: 59 women with breast cancer (26 obese, 33 non-obese) provided symptom reports using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and stool samples for 16S analysis one week after receiving chemotherapy. Symptom reports were summarized and examined for differences based on obesity. Fecal microbiome analysis was compared between groups using alpha-diversity (Shannon index), beta-diversity (Principal Coordinate Analysis with weighted UniFrac distances), and LASSO analysis of abundance of bacterial species. Results: While symptom burden was high, it did not differ based on obesity status. Alpha- and beta-diversity did not find significant differences based on obesity, but LASSO analysis identified eight bacteria to be significantly enriched in obese participants: Collinsella aerofacien, Prevotella 7, Coprobacillus cateniformis, Ruminococcus torques group, Agathobacter, Frisingicoccus, Roseburia inulinivorans, and Monoglobus pectinilyticus. Conclusions: Identifying biologic mechanisms driving symptoms is necessary for the development of therapies to reduce cancer-related symptom burden. While obesity may alter the GI microbiome and influence symptom burden in women with breast cancer, these effects may be outweighed by the effects of chemotherapy on the gut.

gastrointestinal

microbiome

symptom burden

breast cancer

obesity

Details

Title: Subtitle: Gut Microbiome and Symptom Burden in Obese and Non-Obese Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
Creators: Catherine H. Cherwin - University of Iowa
Jemmie Hoang - University of Iowa
Emily K. Roberts - University of Iowa
Ashutosh Mangalam - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Biological research for nursing, Vol.27(3), pp.411-422
DOI: 10.1177/10998004251318397
PMID: 39928757
PMCID: PMC12633718
NLM abbreviation: Biol Res Nurs
ISSN: 1099-8004
eISSN: 1552-4175
Publisher: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
Grant note: National Institute of Nursing Research: 1P20NR018081-01
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by 1P20NR018081-01 (PI: Rakel & Gardner, Pilot PI: Cherwin) from the National Institute of Nursing Research.
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 02/10/2025
Date published: 07/2025
Academic Unit: Pathology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984787234902771

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