Association of Prediagnosis Obesity and Postdiagnosis Aspirin With Survival From Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

IMPORTANCE The potential relationship between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcome is poorly understood in patients with late-stage disease. Increased body mass index may negate aspirin use for cancer prevention, but its role as a factor on the effectiveness of postdiagnosis aspirin use is unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate how prediagnosis obesity and postdiagnosis aspirin use may be associated with overall survival in patients with late-stage colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study used self-reported data from patients with metastatic or treatment-refractory disease who consented to a clinical protocol at MD Anderson Cancer Center, a large US cancer treatment center. Patients were enrolled between 2010 and 2018 and followed up for mortality through July 2020. Analyses were conducted through March 2022. EXPOSURES Body mass index in the decade prior to initial diagnosis and regular aspirin use at survey completion. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Overall survival was measured from stage IV diagnosis until death or last follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to estimate associations of prediagnosis obesity and postdiagnosis aspirin use with overall survival. RESULTS Of 656 patients included in this analysis, 280 (42.7%) were women, 135 (20.6%) were diagnosed with CRC before age 45 years, 414 (63.1%) were diagnosed between ages 45 and 65 years, and 107 (16.3%) were diagnosed at 65 years or older; 105 patients (16.0%) were Black or Hispanic, and 501 (76.4%) were non-Hispanic White. Controlling for age, sex, race, stage at initial diagnosis, and weight change between prediagnosis and survey date, patients with obesity in the decade prior to CRC diagnosis had significantly higher likelihood of death (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.11-1.91) compared with those with normal prediagnosis body mass index. Furthermore, only patients with normal prediagnosis body mass index experienced significant survival benefit with postdiagnosis aspirin use (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39-0.90). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cross-sectional study, our findings suggest potentially differential tumor development in the long-term physiologic host environment of obesity. Confirmation and further evaluation are needed to determine whether prediagnosis body mass index may be used to estimate the benefit from postdiagnosis aspirin use.

Automated summary

This study explores the potential relationship between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcome in patients with late-stage disease. The findings suggest that prediagnosis obesity may increase the likelihood of death, while postdiagnosis aspirin use is only beneficial for patients with normal prediagnosis body mass index.