Back to Authors

Wadden, Thomas A.

Mayo Clinic

University of Pennsylvania

Citations 3

Effect of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on quality of life (QOL) and symptoms in women with breast cancer: Results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial.
Ligibel, Jennifer A. , Hershman, Dawn L., Dueck, A. C. , McCall, Linda, Ginos, Brenda, Weiss, Anna, Hahn, Olwen, Spears, Patricia, Paskett, Electra D., Hopkins, Judith O. , Frank, Elizabeth S., Bernstein, Vanessa , Stearns, Vered, White, Julia R., Wadden, Thomas, Winer, Eric P., Carey, L, Partridge, Ann H., Hershman, Dawn L. , Goodwin, Pamela J. , Paskett, Electra D. , Mayer, Erica L. , Stearns, Vered , White, Julia , Wadden, Thomas A., Winer, Eric P. , Carey, Lisa A. , Partridge, Ann H.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 27, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 12010-12010

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.12010 Get It

12010 Background: BWEL (Alliance A011401; NCT02750826) is a Phase III trial that randomizes patients (pts) with stage II-III breast cancer and body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m 2 1:1 to a 24-month (mo) lifestyle-based WLI + health education (HE) or HE alone. Here we report prespecified secondary outcomes of the impact of the WLI on patient-reported QOL and symptoms. Methods: The first 540 BWEL pts (randomized between 9/2016 and 7/2017) were included in this substudy that collected PROMIS 29 Profile 2.0 and Global Health scores at enrollment, 6 and 24 mos. Adjusting for baseline scores, mean physical function (predefined substudy primary outcome), global physical and mental health, fatigue and other scores were compared at 6 and 24 mos using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). P-values <0.05 were considered significant. Positive differences in positive attributes (e.g., physical function) and negative differences in negative attributes (e.g., anxiety) represented better outcomes in the WLI arm. Results: At baseline, median BMI was 32.9 kg/m 2 (26.5 – 69.1), median age was 53 (25 - 78) years; 83.9% of pts were non-Hispanic White, 10.7% were Black and 5.9% were Hispanic. At 6 mos, the WLI (vs HE) arm had significantly better physical function (ANCOVA-based mean difference between arms 1.9 [95% CI 0.8, 3.0]; p<0.001), global physical health (2.0 [95% CI 0.9, 3.0]; p<0.001), global mental health (1.30 [95% CI 0.2, 2.4], p=0.03), social roles and activities (2.3 [95% CI 1.1, 3.6]; p<0.001), and fatigue (-1.7 [95% CI -3.1, -0.4], p=0.01) (Table). Improvements were generally maintained at 24 mos. Similar findings were seen in analyses using longitudinal mixed modeling. Conclusions: The BWEL WLI demonstrated QOL benefits for patients with breast cancer, resulting in significantly better physical function, global physical and mental health, and symptoms. Future analyses will evaluate which populations experienced the most benefit, as well as the relationships among QOL, symptoms, and weight loss. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823; U10CA180820; U10CA180868; U10CA180863, CCS 707213; U10CA180888; UG1CA189858; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org. Clinical trial information: NCT02750826 . Analysis of covariance-adjusted least squares means values at 6-mos adjusted for baseline scores. QOL/Symptom Attributes HE WLI Between arm difference (95% CI)* P value Physical Function 47.1 49.0 1.9 (0.8, 3.0) <0.001 Global Physical Health 46.2 48.1 2.0 (0.9, 3.0) <0.001 Global Mental Health 48.6 49.9 1.3 (0.2, 2.4) 0.03 Social Roles and Activities 52.7 55.0 2.3 (1.1, 3.6) <0.001 Anxiety 50.2 50.0 -0.2 (-1.6, 1.2) 0.77 Depression 47.5 47.5 -0.0 (11.2, 1.2) 0.96 Fatigue 50.6 48.9 -1.7 (-3.1, -0.4) 0.01 Sleep Disturbance 51.0 51.1 0.1 (-0.6, 0.8) 0.80 Pain Interference 51.3 50.3 -1.0 (-2.4, 0.4) 0.15 *Positive differences in positive attributes and negative differences in negative attributes favor WLI arm.
Abstract PD8-01: Weight Trajectories in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial (Alliance)
Cao, C., Ballman, K. V., McCall, L. M., Alfano, C., Bernstein, V., Crane, Tracy E. , Delahanty, L., Frank, L., Hahn, O., Hershman, D. L., Hopkins, J. O., Irwin, M., Mayer, E. L., Minasian, L., Nebeling, Linda , Neuhouser, M., Paskett, E. D., Spears, P. A., Stearns, V., Thomson, C. A., Wadden, Thomas A., Weiss, A. C., White, J., Hudis, C., Winer, E. P., Partridge, A. H., Carey, L. A., Ligibel, J. A., Alfano, Catherine M. , Bernstein, V., Delahanty, L.M., Goodwin, Pamela J. , Hahn, O. M., Hershman, Dawn L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Stearns, Vered , Hudis, Clifford A. , Partridge, Ann H. , Carey, L.

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PD8-01-PD8-01

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-pd8-01 Get It

Abstract Background: Obesity is a poor prognostic factor in early breast cancer (BC). The BWEL trial (Alliance A011401; NCT02750826) is a phase 3 randomized trial testing the impact of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on invasive disease-free survival in women with stage II-III BC and a body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m2. Here we report trajectories of weight change in BWEL WLI participants (pts). Methods: Eligible pts were within 16 months of diagnosis of stage II-III HER2-negative BC, had completed chemotherapy (chemo) and radiation (if given), and were randomized 1:1 to a telephone-based WLI, focused on caloric restriction and exercise, plus health education (HE) or to an HE-alone control group. WLI pts were assigned a trained coach at the BWEL call center and received 42 phone calls over the 2-year (yr) WLI period. Weight and height at baseline, 6 and 24 months were collected by study staff. All WLI pts were provided with a Fitbit wireless scale. Fitbit weight records (FWRs) were automatically imported to the BWEL portal for pts with wireless access and self-reported in the portal for pts without wireless access. FWRs were averaged (avg) by week (wk) from the WLI start date up to 104 wks. Baseline pt factors were self-reported; treatment history was abstracted from the medical record. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate trajectories of weight change over the 104-wk WLI. Principal component analysis and multinomial models were used to examine distinct clusters of weight trajectories. Results: 3180 pts were enrolled from 637 sites between 8/2016 and 2/2021. FWRs were available from 1508 of 1591 WLI pts, with a total of 366,294 FWRs collected during the 2-yr WLI period. In pts with FWRs, mean baseline BMI was 34.4 ± 5.6 kg/m2, mean age was 53.2 ± 10.3 yrs, 10.8% self-identified as Non-Hispanic (NH) Black and 6.1% as Hispanic, 81.1% received chemo and 56.9% were postmenopausal. No statistically significant differences in baseline factors were observed between pts with and without FWRs. Intraclass correlation coefficient of baseline weights collected by study staff and by Fitbit scales was 0.99. In the WLI cohort, avg weekly weight (kg) decreased from 91.4 (95% CI: 90.6-92.3) at baseline to 85.6 (95% CI: 84.8-86.5) by wk 40, corresponding to a peak loss of 6.1% (95% CI: 5.7-6.4) of baseline weight. Weight remained stable until wk 52 and then gradually increased to 87.0 kg (95% CI: 86.2-87.9) at wk 104, corresponding to a 4.4% (95% CI: 4.0-4.8) loss at wk 104 vs. baseline. Principal component analysis identified 3 distinct weight trajectories: 67.6% of pts experienced peak weight loss of 6.6% (95% CI: 6.3-6.9) of baseline weight, 10.0% experienced peak loss of 17.5% (95% CI: 16.8-18.2) of baseline weight, and 22.4% did not achieve weight loss, gaining on avg 2.2% (95% CI: 1.7-2.6) of baseline weight. Pts with college (relative risk ratio [RRR]=1.41, 95% CI: 1.03-1.92) and post-graduate education (RRR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.13-2.20) and those who were premenopausal (RRR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.28-2.26) were more likely to be in the cluster that did not lose weight. Pts who were NH White (RRR=3.60, 95% CI: 1.95-6.68), postmenopausal (RRR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.28-2.95), had no alcohol use (RRR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.03-2.16), had not received chemo (RRR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.15-2.72), and had &lt;3 chronic conditions (RRR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.23-3.66) were more likely to be in the cluster with the highest weight loss. Conclusion: Longitudinal weight data from BWEL demonstrate peak weight loss of 6.1% in the WLI cohort at 40 wks, with distinct trajectories indicating differential responses to the WLI. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using digital health tools to track outcomes in the setting of a large-scale weight loss intervention study and informs future precision behavioral interventions in oncology. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823; U10CA180863. https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org. Citation Format: C. Cao, K. Ballman, L. McCall, C. Alfano, V. Bernstein, T. Crane, L. Delahanty, L. Frank, P. Goodwin, O. Hahn, D. Hershman, J. Hopkins, M. Irwin, E. Mayer, L. Minasian, L. Nebeling, M. Neuhouser, E. Paskett, P. Spears, V. Stearns, C. Thomson, T. Wadden, A. Weiss, J. White, C. Hudis, E. Winer, A. Partridge, L. Carey, J. Ligibel. Weight Trajectories in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial (Alliance) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-01.
Impact of a Weight Loss Intervention on 1-Year Weight Change in Women With Stage II/III Breast Cancer
Ligibel, Jennifer A. , McCall, Linda, Goodwin, Pamela J. , Bernstein, Vanessa , Delahanty, Linda M. , Hahn, Olwen, Hopkins, Judith O. , Irwin, Melinda L. , Minasian, Lori M. , Nebeling, Linda , Neuhouser, Marian L., Paskett, Electra D., Spears, Patricia A. , Stearns, Vered, Thomson, Cynthia A. , Weiss, Anna , White, Julia , Wadden, Thomas A., Hudis, Clifford A. , Ballman, Karla V. , Alfano, Catherine M. , Crane, Tracy E. , Frank, Elizabeth S. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Mayer, Erica L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Winer, Eric P. , Partridge, Ann H. , Carey, Lisa A.

JAMA Oncology | August 21, 2025 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 1194

10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2738 Get It

Importance Obesity is associated with a higher risk of recurrence, mortality, comorbidities, treatment-related adverse effects, and poor quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Scalable interventions are needed to promote weight loss in this population. Objective To evaluate the impact of a remotely delivered weight loss intervention (WLI) on weight change at 1 year in patients with breast cancer and obesity and to explore factors associated with weight change. Design, Setting, and Participants The Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial is a phase 3, randomized clinical trial evaluating the impact of a telephone-based WLI on invasive disease–free survival and other outcomes in women with obesity and early breast cancer at 637 sites across the US and Canada. Participants were enrolled to the study between August 2016 and February 2021. Participants included women with stage II to III, ERBB2 -negative breast cancer and a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher. Interventions Participants were randomized to a 2-year, telephone-based WLI plus health education or health education alone control group. Main Outcome and Measures The primary end point for this prespecified secondary analysis was weight change at 1 year. Weight was measured at baseline and 1 year, and changes in weight were compared between groups. Weight change was evaluated with a linear mixed-effects model including treatment group, weight over time, a time-by-group interaction, menopausal status, race and ethnicity, and hormone receptor status. Results A total of 3180 women with breast cancer and BMI of 27 and higher were included in the study; 1591 were randomized to the WLI and 1589 to the control group. At baseline, the mean (SD) age of participants was 53.4 (10.6), and the mean (SD) BMI was 34.4 (5.6). The racial and ethnic breakdown included 406 (12.8%) Black, 231 (7.3%) Hispanic or Latino, 2906 (91.4%) non-Hispanic, and 2555 (80.3%) White participants. WLI participants lost a mean of 4.3 kg (95% CI 3.9-4.6 kg), or 4.7% (95% CI, 4.3%-5.0%) of baseline body weight at 1 year vs control participants, who gained 0.9 kg (95% CI, 0.5-1.3 kg), or 1.0% (95% CI 0.1%-1.4%) of baseline body weight ( P &amp;lt; .001). Participants randomized to WLI experienced significant weight loss (vs control group participants) across demographic and tumor factors. WLI effect differed significantly by menopausal status, with postmenopausal participants having greater weight loss than premenopausal participants, and by race and ethnicity, with Black and Hispanic participants having less weight loss compared to other races and ethnicities. Conclusions and Relevance In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, a telephone-based WLI induced significant weight loss in patients with breast cancer with overweight and obesity across demographic and treatment factors. Further follow-up of the Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial will evaluate whether the WLI improves disease outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02750826