Monday 13 / January / 2025
Ottawa: A Canadian study reveals that children with cancer who are obese at diagnosis face an elevated risk of relapse and death.
The population-based research analysed data from 11,291 children aged 2 to 18 years in the Cancer in Young People in Canada (CYP-C) database between 2001 and 2020.
Obesity was defined as a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex.
Among the participants, 10.5% were obese at diagnosis.
The study found that five-year event-free survival (cancer relapse-free survival) was lower for obese children (77.5%) compared to non-obese peers (79.6%).
Similarly, overall survival rates were lower for obese patients (83.0% versus 85.9%).
After adjusting for variables like age, sex, ethnicity, and cancer type, obesity at diagnosis was associated with a 16% higher risk of relapse and a 29% higher risk of death.
The impact was particularly significant in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors.
"Our findings emphasize the need to address childhood obesity to improve cancer outcomes," said Dr. Thai Hoa Tran, co-senior author of the study.
The results underscore the urgency of combating childhood obesity to reduce its detrimental effects on health.
