Published online Jul 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i7.1618
Revised: March 4, 2003
Accepted: March 16, 2003
Published online: July 15, 2003
AIM: To investigate the relationship between breast cancer and fatty liver in Chinese patients.
METHODS: The study group consisted of 217 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancers and the control group of 182 subjects undergoing routine health examination in the same hospital. All subjects were female and the groups were matched for date of study. Ultrasound scanning was performed by the same operator using a 3.5 mHz transducer. Steatosis of the liver was diagnosed based on the criteria of Saverymuttu et al[7]. Clinical variables were statistically analyzed.
RESULTS: Fatty liver was diagnosed in 98 patients of the study group and 37 patients of the control group, a significant difference was found in incidence (98/217, 45.2% and 37/182, 20.3%; P < 0.0001). On univariate analysis, fatty liver in breast cancer patients was associated with overweight, hyperlipidemia, and hepatitis. On multivariate analysis in the same patients, obesity and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with fatty liver.
CONCLUSION: The cause of fatty liver in women with breast cancer may be multifactorial. The present study confirms its link with overweight and hyperlipidemia.