Can breast cancer treatment make you fat? – GOOD SHAPE

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This is a frequent question asked by patients in the office when they receive guidance regarding diet and physical activity.

It is common for them to relate the treatment they are receiving with weight gain. However, we have no scientific evidence to date that treatments such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy lead to weight gain.

What is inferred is that cancer treatment can have fatigue as a side effect, which is a more accentuated tiredness, and this can limit the practice of physical activity, an important ally in the weight loss process.

In addition, chemotherapy and hormone therapy can lead the patient to an induced menopause and we know that this can lead to a weight gain of up to 5 kg in the first year after diagnosis.

It is also very common to find more anxious patients with binge eating or those who use the reward system, allowing themselves to eat more caloric foods, as they are facing a more intense treatment.

So, here are my tips for breast cancer patients undergoing treatment:

Make a food diary. It’s common to be surprised by the amount of hidden calories in the food we eat. Plan your meals. Always keep healthy foods in your fridge or bag. Hydrate yourself. Practice physical activity, if released by your doctor. Have a specialized follow-up with a nutritionist/nutrologist. If anxiety symptoms, seek guidance from a psychologist.

Retrospective studies have already shown that maintaining an adequate weight, practicing physical activity and having a healthy diet are related to a decrease in breast cancer recurrence.