Differences in breast tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy by race – Is obesity the key?

Introduction: Breast cancer treatment includes neoadjuvant chemotherapy offered to patients with aggressive subtypes and locally advanced breast cancer. Black women receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy more frequently as they present more advanced stage tumors and triple negative subtype. Non-Hispanic Black women have the greatest prevalence of obesity in most states. Patients with higher body mass index (BMI) have lower rates of chemotherapy response. Whether obesity is a confounding factor requires investigation.