Modifiable risk factors for late cardiovascular complications after childhood cancer

Increasing survival rates for childhood cancer have resulted in a rapidly growing population of childhood cancer survivors at high risk of developing late cardiovascular complications.

While a healthy lifestyle, including adequate physical activity, can prevent cardiovascular disease in the general population, this research program aims to explore the preventive impact of physical activity and modifiable risk factors specifically for childhood cancer survivors, an area that remains unexplored.We will define the association between objectively assessed cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, body mass index, smoking, clinically ascertained cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia), and late cardiovascular complications in childhood cancer survivors in a new population-based childhood cancer survivor cohort with detailed treatment exposures.

We will also determine the prevalence of a set of lifestyle factors (insufficient physical activity, smoking, risky drinking, overweight/obesity) and their time-dependent associations with cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular disease.This project holds the potential to improve screening recommendations, reduced cardiovascular complications, and ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of mitigating late cardiovascular complications and improving the quality of life for childhood cancer survivors.