Cardiometabolic complications after pediatric cancer: Associations with chemotherapeutic agents and body-mass-index fluctuations

Introduction: Survivors of childhood cancer are at risk of cardiometabolic complications including dyslipidemia, obesity, insulin resistance, and hypertension. In addition, children undergoing chemotherapy often suffer from substantial side effects including rapid weight gain, transient hypertension, and elevated blood glucose and lipids. However, little is known about the cardiometabolic health of children shortly after cancer treatment. This study aims to describe the cardiometabolic profile of children after treatment and to study the factors associated with these complications. Methods: Participants were recruited at Sainte-Justine UHC in Montreal as part of the VIE Program (Valorization, Implication, Education). Cardiometabolic health was assessed with biochemical, clinical, and anthropometric measures. Data on treatment (diagnosis, chemotherapeutic agents, and doses) were obtained from medical files. Results: Evaluations were performed on 71 participants (45% boys; median age: 9.8 years; 42% with acute lymphoblastic leukemia; median time since last treatment: 1.4 years, range: 0.2-3.5 years). Our assessment showed that 28% had hypertension, 27% were obese, 19% had altered glucose metabolism, and 33% had dyslipidemia. The risk of having dyslipidemia was associated with higher age [relative risk (RR): 1.28, 95%CI: 1.14-1.44, P Conclusion: We found important alterations of children’s cardiometabolic profile shortly after the end of cancer treatment. Increased BMI during and after treatment and exposure to corticosteroids and methotrexate were factors associated with cardiometabolic health. This stresses the importance of maintaining a favorable nutritional status during cancer therapy. Early nutritional interventions promoting sustainable healthy eating habits may contribute to limit cardiometabolic complications in the short and long term. Citation Format: Veronique Belanger, Alexandre Warin, Elitsa Tonova, Isabelle Bouchard, Caroline Meloche, Daniel Curnier, Serge Sultan, Caroline Laverdiere, Daniel Sinnett, Valerie Marcil. Cardiometabolic complications after pediatric cancer: Associations with chemotherapeutic agents and body-mass-index fluctuations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr B59.