Dyslipidemia prevalence in childhood/adolescent cancer survivors averages 31%, with heterogeneous definitions and management mostly via lifestyle modifications reported.
What are the definitions, prevalence, and management strategies for dyslipidemia in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors?
Significant heterogeneity exists in the definition and reported prevalence of dyslipidemia in childhood and adolescent cancer survivors, underscoring the need for standardized guidelines.
Background/Objectives: There is little information on the definition and management of dyslipidemia in patients and survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult (CAYA) cancer. However, it is known that this population is at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dyslipidemia, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome are common among CAYA cancer survivors due to the cancer itself or the treatment received. Therefore, managing dyslipidemia in this population is crucial to mitigate the risk of long-term CVD. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize currently used definitions and cutoffs for dyslipidemia, its prevalence, and management strategies in CAYA cancer survivors. This review further describes reported pharmacological and lifestyle interventions and their impact on lipid levels. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, including studies published in English, German or French between January 2015 and February 2025. The population included individuals diagnosed with any type of CAYA cancer prior to 25 years of age and either receiving cancer treatment or in follow-up care. We considered all types of publications except for Phase I and II studies. We followed PRISMA guidelines, assessed the quality of the eligible studies according to the respective Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical Appraisal Tools, and reported the results descriptively. Results: Of 575 identified publications, 53 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Forty-three studies reported on the definitions of abnormal lipid values, 40 stated the prevalence of abnormal lipid values, and 17 studies described management approaches, of which 12 were case reports and small case series. For all three outcomes, the results were very heterogeneous. Using the example of triglycerides (TGs), the cutoff values for high TGs ranged from 5.17 mmol/L to 6.2 mmol/L and the reported prevalence of high TGs ranged from 0% to 75%, with an average of 31%. The only reported intervention to prevent dyslipidemia in CAYA cancer survivors was lifestyle modification. Preventive strategies that started during treatment were lifestyle modifications and fish oil supplements. Conclusions: Our systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of existing definitions, prevalences, and management of abnormal lipid values in CAYA cancer patients and survivors. However, the identified heterogeneities indicate that reported prevalences and results of interventions must be interpreted cautiously. An internationally harmonized approach to defining and reporting lipid values in CAYA cancer survivors is urgently needed to enable tailored screening and treatment strategies.
Wagenseil et al. (2026) studied this question. Dyslipidemia prevalence in childhood/adolescent cancer survivors averages 31%, with heterogeneous definitions and management mostly via lifestyle modifications reported.