Lifestyle and Subsequent Malignant Neoplasms in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess longitudinal associations between lifestyle and subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs) in young adult childhood cancer survivors. METHODS: Members of the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE) aged ≥18 years and surviving ≥5 years after childhood cancer diagnosis were queried and evaluated for physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle strength, body mass index (BMI), smoking, risky drinking, and a combined lifestyle score. Time to first SMN, excluding nonmalignant neoplasms and nonmelanoma skin cancer, was the outcome of longitudinal analysis. RESULTS: Survivors (n = 4072, 47% female, 29% smokers, 37% risky drinkers, 34% obese, and 48% physically inactive) had a mean (SD) time between baseline evaluation and follow-up of 7.0 (3.3) years, an age of 8.7 (5.7) years at diagnosis, and an age of 30 (8.4) years at baseline lifestyle assessment. Neither individual lifestyle factors nor a healthy lifestyle score (RR 0.8, 0.4-1.3, p = 0.36) were associated with the risk of developing an SMN. CONCLUSIONS: We did not identify any association between lifestyle factors and the risk of SMN in young adult childhood cancer survivors.

Lifestyle and subsequent meningioma in childhood cancer survivors: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle is associated with meningioma risk in the general population. AIMS: We assessed longitudinal associations between lifestyle-associated factors and subsequent meningiomas in childhood cancer survivors. METHODS AND RESULTS: Childhood cancer survivors age ≥18 years in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study were evaluated for body composition, self-reported physical activity, cardiopulmonary fitness, muscle strength, smoking, and alcohol consumption at baseline. Time to first meningioma analyses were performed, adjusted for sex, age at diagnosis and baseline assessment, treatment decade, and childhood cancer treatment exposures. The study included 4,072 survivors (47% female; [mean (SD)] 9 (6) years at diagnosis; 30 (8.5) years at the start of follow-up, with 7.0 (3.3) years of follow-up). 30% of the participants were survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 29% of the participants had received cranial radiation. During follow-up, 90 participants developed ≥1 meningioma, of whom 73% were survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with cranial radiation being the strongest risk factor (relative risk [RR] 29.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.6-83.2). Muscle strength assessed by knee extension was associated with a lower risk of developing a meningioma in the adjusted analyses (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.0, p = 0.04 for quartiles 3-4 vs. 1). No other lifestyle-associated variable was associated with subsequent meningioma. CONCLUSION: Independent of cranial radiation, muscle strength was associated with a lower risk of developing a subsequent meningioma in childhood cancer survivors.

The Evaluation and Management of Visceral Complications in Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome Part 1.

Abstract: External beam ionizing radiation is a fundamental component of cancer treatment and is incorporated into approximately 50% of cancer treatments. Radiation therapy causes cell death directly by apoptosis and indirectly by disruption of mitosis. Purpose of Review: This study aims to inform rehabilitation clinicians of the visceral toxicities of radiation fibrosis syndrome and how to detect and diagnose these complications. Recent Findings: Latest research indicates that radiation toxicity is primarily related to radiation dose, patient co-morbidity, and concomitant use of chemotherapies and immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. While cancer cells are the primary target, surrounding normal cells and tissues are also affected. Radiation toxicity is dose dependent, and tissue injury develops from inflammation that may progress to fibrosis. Thus, radiation dosing in cancer therapy is often limited by tissue toxicity. Although newer radiotherapeutic modalities aim to limit delivery of radiation to non-cancerous tissues, many patients continue to experience toxicity. Summary: To ensure early recognition of radiation toxicity and fibrosis, it is imperative that all clinicians are aware of the predictors, signs, and symptoms of radiation fibrosis syndrome. Here, we present part 1 of the visceral complications of radiation fibrosis syndrome, addressing radiation-related toxicity in the heart, lungs, and thyroid gland.

Pharmacokinetics of cancer therapeutics and energy balance: the role of diet intake, energy expenditure, and body composition.

Energy balance accounts for an individual's energy intake, expenditure, and storage. Each aspect of energy balance has implications for the pharmacokinetics of cancer treatments and may impact an individual's drug exposure and subsequently its tolerance and efficacy. However, the integrated effects of diet, physical activity, and body composition on drug absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion are not yet fully understood. This review examines the existing literature on energy balance, specifically the role of dietary intake and nutritional status, physical activity and energy expenditure, and body composition on the pharmacokinetics of cancer therapeutics. As energy balance and pharmacokinetic factors can be influenced by age-related states of metabolism and comorbidities, this review also explores the age-related impact of body composition and physiologic changes on pharmacokinetics among pediatric and older adult populations with cancer.

Linking social and built environmental factors to leisure-time physical activity in rural cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: This study explored associations between social and built environmental factors and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in rural cancer survivors (RCS) and whether these associations differed by exercise stage of change (SOC). METHOD: RCS (n = 219) completed questionnaires assessing LTPA, SOC, and social (social status, connectedness, support) and environmental (home environment, neighborhood environment) factors. Linear regression models examined associations between social and built environmental factors and LTPA and tested for moderation by SOC. RESULTS: Half (50.7%) of RCS were physically active, and 49.3% were not active. Social factors positively associated with LTPA included subjective social status in the community (B = 89.0, P = .014) and in the United States (B = 181.3, P < .001), social connectedness (B = 122.3, P = .024), and social support for physical activity from family (B = 41.9, P < .001) and friends (B = 44.3, P < .001). Environmental factors positively associated with LTPA included the home environment (B = 111.2, P < .001), perceived environmental support for PA (B = 355.4, P = .004), and neighborhood attributes, including bicycling infrastructure (B = 191.3, P = .003), proximity to recreation facilities (B = 140.1, P = .021), traffic safety (B = 184.5, P = .025), and aesthetics (B = 342.6, P < .001). SOC statistically significantly moderated the association between social status in the United States and LTPA (B = 160.3, P = .031). CONCLUSIONS: Social and built environmental factors were consistently linked with LTPA and provide context for multilevel interventions promoting LTPA in RCS.

Nutritional assessment and dietary intervention among survivors of childhood cancer: current landscape and a look to the future.

Over 85% of childhood cancer patients become long-term survivors. Still, cancer and its therapies are associated with a myriad of long-term complications such that childhood cancer survivors (CCS) endure excess disease burden, morbidity, and mortality throughout their lifetimes. Existing literature suggests that CCS maintain poor dietary intake and nutritional status. Thus, as childhood cancer cure rates continue to improve, the role of diet and nutrition in mitigating many of the most common adverse long-term health outcomes among CCS has gained significant interest. Herein we present an in-depth review of existing scientific literature evaluating dietary intake and nutrition status among CCS and its impact on treatment-related health complications; as well as contemporary intervention strategies aimed at overcoming distinctive barriers and improving deleterious lifestyle behaviors in this heterogeneous, at-risk population. Patient-specific, clinical, and systemic factors act as barriers to the timely conduct of comprehensive dietary/nutritional assessments and provision of tailored, risk-based recommendations. This Mini Review discusses the current state of the science, persisting research gaps, and opportunities for advancement of assessment and intervention strategies to address the unique needs of CCS. Search Strategy: We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed articles with the search terms "pediatric cancer," "pediatric malignancy," "pediatric oncology," "childhood cancer," "survivorship," "cancer late effects," "long-term follow-up," "body mass index," "nutritional status," "malnutrition," "body weight," "body weight changes," "body composition," "obesity," "overweight ", "Mediterranean diet," "DASH diet," "processed foods," "micronutrients," "antioxidants," "vitamin D," "calcium," "selenium," "zinc," "metabolic syndrome," "heart disease," "cardiovascular disease," "cardiometabolic disease," "hypertension," "hyperlipidemia," "HDL," "LDL," and "small dense LDL" from January 1, 1995, to July 21, 2023. We also selected relevant articles from our personal files and from reference lists of identified papers. We prioritized publications after 2013; however, commonly cited and highly regarded (defined by high citation count and journal impact factor) older publications were also included. Randomized controlled trials, observational studies, retrospective studies, meta-analysis, editorials, and review articles were included, whereas conference abstracts and case reports were excluded. We only searched for articles published in English, or those translated into English.

Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: Survivorship and Special Considerations.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who have cancer face a distinct set of challenges beginning during the initial diagnosis, extending throughout treatment, and continuing into survivorship. Owing to significant strides made in cancer therapy in recent decades, more than 80% of this group will go on to become long-term survivors. Despite these improvements, however, many AYAs continue to have poorer outcomes when compared with older and younger patients. The purpose of this article is to underscore the unique set of multifaceted obstacles that this vulnerable group encounters and to pinpoint critical areas of attention and intervention throughout the health care journey. Moreover, it aims to highlight the importance of the role of the primary care provider as a constant partner in safeguarding the long-term physical and mental health of this diverse population within a complex and, at times, trying health care system. [Pediatr Ann. 2022;51(1):e27-e33.].

Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue changes in the first phase of treatment of pediatric solid tumors.

Body composition is increasingly recognized as an important factor in cancer outcomes. Use of computed tomography (CT) in cancer care provides the opportunity to accurately quantify whole-body lean and adipose tissues from images at the third lumbar spine. We sought to substantiate the use of routinely captured, single-slice chest CT images at the thoracic level for evaluation of skeletal muscle, residual lean tissue, and adiposity among pediatric solid tumor patients. We performed a retrospective analysis among children who underwent treatment for a solid tumor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Skeletal muscle (SM), residual lean tissue (RLT), and adipose tissue cross-sectional areas (cm2 ) were analyzed at diagnosis and at first follow-up for disease evaluation (6-14 weeks). Imaging analysis was performed utilizing slice-O-matic image analysis software. Of the 57 patients identified, 39 had chest CT imaging that included intervertebral level T12-L1, and 22 also had concurrent imaging at L3. Correlation coefficients between body composition variables at T12-L1 and L3 were strong (r = 0.93-0.98). Paired t-test showed a significant decrease in SM (-4.2 ± 8.12, p = 0.003) and RLT (-10.7 ± 28.5, p = 0.025) as well as a trend toward a significant increase in visceral adipose tissue (3.10 ± 9.65, p = 0.052). Univariable analysis demonstrated a significant association between increasing age and increased SM loss (ß = -0.496 with SE = 0.194, p = 0.011), and a lack of association between body mass index and body composition changes. We provide the first line of evidence that single-slice images from routinely obtained chest CT scans provide a simple, readily available mechanism for assessing body composition in pediatric solid tumor patients. Adverse body composition changes were observed, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Precis: Changes in body composition can be detected via routine CT images in pediatric patients undergoing treatment for solid tumors.

Nutrition during childhood cancer treatment: current understanding and a path for future research.

Proper nutritional status during cancer therapy has been recognised as being integral to a variety of health outcome measures, including overall survival, treatment tolerance, and quality of life. The prevalence of malnutrition, defined by WHO as either undernutrition or overnutrition, among children and adolescents with cancer is reported to be as high as 75%. Yet, over the past two decades there have been limited advances in elucidating the underlying pathophysiological drivers of malnutrition in this population. This effect has resulted in a paucity of research aimed at improving nutritional assessment and intervention among this group. This Review presents an in-depth discussion of the role of nutritional status in paediatric cancer care, as well as evolving avenues of investigation that might propel personalised nutrition into a viable reality. Thus, nutritional science might facilitate individualised intervention strategies, and thereby help to optimise clinical outcomes for patients and survivors of childhood cancer.

Body Composition in Pediatric Solid Tumors: State of the Science and Future Directions.

Sarcopenia (severe skeletal muscle wasting) and sarcopenic obesity (skeletal muscle wasting in the setting of excess fat) have been increasingly recognized as important prognostic indicators in adult oncology. Unfavorable changes in lean and adipose tissue masses manifest early in therapy and are associated with altered chemotherapy metabolism as well as increased treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Existing literature addresses the role of body composition in children with hematologic malignancies; however, data is lacking among solid tumor patients. Advances in imaging techniques for quantification of tissue compartments potentiate further investigation in this highly understudied area of pediatric oncology. The following review presents an in-depth discussion of body composition analysis and its potential role in the care of pediatric solid tumor patients. Integration of body tissue measurement into standard practice has broad clinical implications and may improve quality of life and treatment outcomes in this at-risk population.

Nutritional status and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with solid tumors : A systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional status (NS), defined by undernutrition (body mass index [BMI] <5th percentile) or overnutrition (BMI  ≥ 85th percentile), is a poor prognostic indicator in pediatric oncology patients. The impact of NS has been primarily studied in hematologic malignancies. This review is intended to summarize literature reporting on the association of NS and treatment-related outcomes in pediatric solid tumors. METHODS: We searched four electronic databases from inception through August 2018 without language restriction, and included studies of children with cancers arising from renal, bone, liver, eye, muscle, vascular, germ cell, and neural crest tissues, reporting on NS as a predictor for toxicity, survival or relapse. Due to data heterogeneity and limited availability of studies, formal statistical analysis was not achievable. Descriptive statistics were summarized in table format. RESULTS: Of 8,991 reports identified, 75 full-text articles were evaluated, 10 of which met inclusion criteria. Up to 62% of patients were over- or undernourished at diagnosis. Abnormal BMI was associated with worse overall survival in Ewing sarcoma (hazard ratio (HR): 3.46, P = .022), osteosarcoma (HR: 1.6, P < .005), and a trend toward poorer overall survival in rhabdomyosarcoma (HR: 1.70, P = .0596). High BMI in osteosarcoma was associated with increased nephrotoxicity (odds ratio: 2.8, P = .01) and postoperative complications. NS was not a significant predictor of outcomes in other included disease categories. CONCLUSIONS: Existing literature supports the prognostic significance of NS in pediatric solid tumor patients and underscores the need for prospective studies to better elucidate underlying physiological changes in this population.