Purpose: Recently brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation has been proposed to have a possible role in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate BAT activation in patients with breast cancer and its relationship with molecular characteristics of tumor.
Procedures: The study group comprised 79 patients with histologically proven ductal breast carcinoma (51 ± 13 years). Data on distribution, intensity (SUVmax), and total metabolic activity (TMA) of BAT were obtained from [18F] FDG-PET/CT. Clinical and biochemical data were obtained from the database.
Results: BAT activation was present in 12 of the 79 patients (15.2 %). Patients with BAT activation were younger and had a lower body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0005, respectively) and showed less frequently metastasis (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), Ki67, grade, and in molecular subtypes. In patients younger than 55 years and with a BMI < 26, no significant differences were observed between patients with and without BAT activation. In the 12 patients with BAT activation, a significant inverse correlation was observed between TMA and BMI (r = - 0.64, p < 0.05). TMA and SUVmax were higher in grade 2 than in grade 3 patients. No significant differences were found in both TMA and SUVmax between patients with and without lymph node metastases. A significant difference in both TMA and SUVmax was observed among different molecular types, with luminal B patients showing higher values.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study suggests a relation between BAT activation and positive known prognostic factor in breast cancer, such as intermediate tumor grade and luminal B cancer type.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Brown adipose tissue; PET/CT; [18F] FDG.