Dr. Chlebowski on the Women's Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS)

Rowan Chlebowski, MD, PhD, Professor and Chief, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology/Hematology Member, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the results of the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS).

Chlebowski says the trial enrolled 2437 early-stage-resected breast cancer patients who were predominantly postmenopausal, all of whom were receiving standard therapy at the time of the study’s start (in 1994). The patients were randomized to a lifestyle intervention targeting dietary fat intake reduction or the control group.

The study found that the women following the intervention reduced their proportion of calories from fat from 30% to 20%, which was associated with a 5-lb reduction in weight. After a median 5-year follow-up, there were fewer overall deaths in the intervention group.

When looking at the subgroups of patients, patients whose tumors were ER-negative had a 36% increase in survival. The ER/PR-negative patients saw a 54% improvement in overall survival. ​