PT01. - MEMBRANE FATTY ACID PROFILE AND SURVIVAL IN WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER: EVIDENCE FROM THE WOMAN’S HEALTH COHORT

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PT01.

MEMBRANE FATTY ACID PROFILE AND SURVIVAL IN WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER: EVIDENCE FROM THE WOMAN’S HEALTH COHORT

R. M. D. E. Justa1, M. da Rocha Sousa1, I. M. C. de Almeida1, R. A. M. Braga2,*, N. R. T. Damasceno2

1Nutrition in Public Health, 2Cardiology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

 

Rationale: Current evidence suggests that the fatty acid (FA) composition of cell membranes may modulate signaling pathways linked to tumor progression. However, its impact on clinical outcomes in breast cancer (BC) remains incompletely understood. We investigated the association between erythrocyte membrane FA profiles and mortality in women with BC.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted with 114 newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve BC patients from the WOMAN’S HEALTH cohort. Sociodemographic, clinical, tumor-related, and anthropometric data were collected, along with blood samples. FA composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. Mortality/survival outcomes were monitored for a median follow-up of 1,662 days (min.=167; max.=2,162). Statistical analyses included Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test (for non-normal data), and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (Stata 17.0; p<0.05).

Results: Participants had a mean age of 50.6 (±9.5) years, with 50% postmenopausal. Most presented luminal tumors (62.3%), stage I/II disease (63.2%), tumors <5 cm (57.9%), no metastases (71.1%), or lymph node involvement (50.9%). Erythrocyte membranes showed a predominance of saturated FAs (SFAs= 61.9±9.48%), primarily palmitic (29.8±3.15%) and stearic acid (24.3±4.39%). Monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) accounted for 14.6% (oleic acid= 9.33±2.39%), while polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) exhibited an imbalanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio (20.97±5.18% vs. 2.85±1.82%; ratio=10.86±8.64), with arachidonic (11.93±3.09%) and DHA (2.34±1.72%) as major contributors. Survival was significantly shorter in patients with higher SFA incorporation (620.5 vs. 1,876.8 days; p=0.001) and lower MUFA (876.6 vs. 1,870.7 days; p=0.008) or PUFA proportions (213.3 vs. 1,871 days; p=0.001).

Conclusion: High erythrocyte membrane SFA levels and low MUFA/PUFA content are associated with reduced survival, suggesting that FA balance may contribute with BC prognosis.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared