Health conditions associated with metabolic syndrome after cancer at a young age: A nationwide register-based study

PurposeChildhood cancer survivors are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome (MetS), which subsequently leads to cardiovascular morbidity and excess mortality. Our aim was to investigate the purchases of medications associated with MetS among 7551 early onset cancer patients compared to siblings.MethodsOur nationwide Finnish population-based registry study analyzed the drug purchase of medication among early onset cancer patients diagnosed with cancer below the age of 35 years between 1994 and 2004 compared to siblings by linkage to the drug purchase registry, allowing for a maximal follow-up of 18 years.ResultsThe hazard ratios (HRs) for purchasing antihypertensives and diabetes drugs were higher after both childhood (HR 4.6, 95%CI 3.1–7.0; HR 3.0, 95%1.5–6.1) and young adulthood (YA) cancer (HR 1.5, 95%CI 1.3–1.8; HR 1.6, 95%CI 1.1–2.2) compared to siblings. The HRs for purchasing lipid-lowering drugs were elevated both after childhood (HR 4.3,95%CI 0.9–19.5) and YA cancer (HR 1.6, 95%CI 1.04–2.5), but only reached significance in YA cancer patients. Among specific cancer diagnosis groups, highest HR values for antihypertensives were found in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (HR 6.1, 95%CI 3.7–10.3) and bone tumor (HR 4.3, 95%CI 1.9–9.4), and YA ALL (HR 4.8, 95%CI 3.1–7.0) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (HR 3.4, 95%CI 2.5–5.1) patients. Moreover, childhood ALL (HR 6.3, 95%CI 2.7–14.8), AML (HR 7.6, 95%CI 1.9–24.5) and central nervous system (CNS)-tumor (HR 3.5, 95%CI 1.3–9.2) and YA ALL (HR 3.7, 95%CI 1.2–9.5) patients showed the strongest likelihood of purchasing diabetes drugs compared to siblings.ConclusionThe purchase of medications associated with MetS was increased after early onset cancer and highly dependent on the age at cancer diagnosis and the cancer diagnosis. Prevention strategies are imperative for reducing potentially life-threatening cardiovascular complications after early onset cancer.