LATE EFFECTS OF ANTINEOPLASTIC TREATMENT AND BODY MASS INDEX EVOLUTION
AMONG BRAZILIAN CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVORS
Abstract
Background: Advances in cancer treatment have caused the
population of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) to increase. CCSs are at
risk of multiple therapy-related late effects (LEs). This study aims to
evaluate the LE incidence and to assess how the body mass index (BMI)
evolved in a CCS cohort from a Brazilian tertiary center.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study with CCSs who received
chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both, seen in a follow-up clinic from
2002 to 2017. Anthropometric and clinical data were analyzed as
descriptive statistics and hypothesis tests. LE cases were defined
according to specific guidelines and classified into grades 1 to 4. The
Z-scores of the participants’ BMI at diagnosis, treatment completion,
and the last appointment at the clinic were compared. Results:
The final sample included 245 CCSs; the median ages at diagnosis and
recruiting were 7 and 16 years, respectively; the median follow-up
period was 8.5 years. The most frequent diagnoses were acute
lymphoblastic leukemia, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, and
lymphomas. The LE incidence was 53.8% and included overweight/obesity
(36.6%), hearing loss (34%), and thyroid gland abnormalities (32.8%).
Treatment for medulloblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and CNS tumors led to the
highest LE incidence. In 66% of the participants, LEs were mild or
moderate. The prevalence of overweight and obese participants was 24.4%
and 12.2%, respectively. After treatment, the Z-scores of the
participants’ BMI tended to increase over time, particularly in the
groups aged 5–9 and 10–19 years. Conclusion: The LE incidence
resembled the incidence reported in previous studies.