Chemotherapy-induced Lipid Profile Changes in Women With Early Breast Cancer

Despite the development of highly effective antitumor therapies over the past two decades (e.g., targeted therapy, immunotherapy), chemotherapy regimens including anthracyclines, taxanes, and cyclophosphamide continue to represent a fundamental component of treatment algorithms for early breast cancer, particularly in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). While the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines is well established and routinely monitored by echocardiography, changes in lipid profiles induced by cytotoxic chemotherapy have primarily been reported in retrospective studies with heterogeneous patient populations and measurement protocols.

This prospective, single-center study was designed to evaluate changes in lipid parameters in patients with early-stage breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel.

Inclusion criteria

Female patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, stage IB-IIIB, assigned to receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy.

Histologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast, including hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), or triple-negative breast cancer.

Chemotherapy regimen based on doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel.

Completion of all planned neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy cycles.

Availability of complete lipid profile data at all required timepoints.

Exclusion criteria

Prior breast cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or systemic therapy).

Ongoing or prior treatment with hypolipidemic (lipid-lowering) medications.

Incomplete chemotherapy regimen (interrupted or prematurely terminated cycles).

Presence of distant metastatic disease at diagnosis.

Missing or incomplete lipid profile data.