Metabolic disorders

Adult survivors of childhood cancer, particularly brain tumours and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia demonstrate evidence of increased rates of metabolic complications and cardiovascular disease in later life. Evidence is accumulating that risk factors for these complications include obesity, physical inactivity, lipid abnormalities, insulin resistance and development of the metabolic syndrome. Cranial radiotherapy-induced growth hormone deficiency, other direct adverse effects of radiotherapy and anthracycline-induced left ventricular dysfunction are clearly identified risk factors for developing these complications. Growth hormone replacement, where appropriate, has been of some benefit in reducing the prevalence of metabolic complications in some long-term survivors. In others, it is clear that multidisciplinary interventions will need to be developed which focus on modifying aspects of lifestyle including increasing levels of habitual physical activity, improving diet and prevention of smoking along with the use of lipid-lowering medication.