Childhood cancer treatments may increase obesity risk later

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

According to a new study published online early in the journal Cancer, researchers have found that certain treatments used to treat children with cancer may increase their risk for obesity later in life.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,000 cancer survivors previously treated for their disease at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, who had been diagnosed with cancer at least 10 years ago. Results showed that 47% of survivors who had received cranial radiation were obese versus 29.4% of those who had not received cranial radiation.

Researchers found that patients who were treated with cranial radiation plus glucocorticoids, such as prednisone and dexamethasone, had an increased likelihood of obesity. Patients who were younger at the time of diagnosis also had an increased risk for obesity.

The findings may help health care providers identify cancer survivors who are more likely to become obese and guide treatment selection in order to minimize long-term complications.