New research in children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) shows that the longer a patient's body mass index (BMI) falls within the overweight/obese category during treatment, the greater the risk of relapse and the lower the chance of survival. The study, led by a collaborative team of investigators at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, was published today by JAMA Network Open.
BUFFALO, N.Y., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- New research in children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) shows that the longer a patient's body mass index (BMI) falls within the overweight/obese category during treatment, the greater the risk of relapse and the lower the chance of survival.
The study, led by a collaborative team of investigators at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, was published today by JAMA Network Open.
The findings help explain the inconsistent results of research that examined the link between BMI and clinical outcomes.
"Many previous studies focused primarily on long-term side effects of overweight and obesity following treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, such as late cardiovascular complications or metabolic syndrome, whereas the effects of being overweight or obese on survival and relapse of leukemia have been inconsistently studied," says Kara Kelly, MD, Chair of the Roswell Park Oishei Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Program and the Waldemar J. Kaminski Endowed Chair of Pediatrics at Roswell Park. "We observed that the duration of exposure to overweight and obesity during treatment may be a better indicator of the risk of death or relapse of leukemia."
Dr. Kelly and Song Yao, MD, PhD, Professor of Oncology, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at Roswell Park, are co-senior authors of "Overweight or Obesity and Outcomes in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia." Elena Ladas, PhD, RD, Professor of Global integrative Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, is first author.
"Treatment for obesity is evolving, and our study highlights the importance of working closely with children and their families to provide comprehensive care — whether by treating obesity during therapy or preventing it altogether," says Dr. Ladas. "Our findings support a new clinical approach that includes proactive nutrition therapy for children undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia."
The prospective cohort study aimed to find out whether overweight and obesity affect the risk of disease relapse or the length of overall survival, among other outcomes. The research team examined data for 794 children who enrolled in a Dana Farber Cancer Institute ALL Consortium clinical study between May 2005 and December 2011.
Height and weight data obtained from their medical records were used to track fluctuations in the children's BMI throughout treatment. At the time of diagnosis, 234 patients (29.5%) were overweight or obese — and that proportion increased to 346 patients (48.4%) by the end of treatment. Children who fell into the overweight/obese categories on at least two time points during treatment experienced poorer overall survival, greater risk of relapse and lower event-free survival (periods without complications) compared with those categorized as overweight or obese at only one time point, or not at all.
"Because overweight and obesity are modifiable risk factors, these are significant findings that present important opportunities to improve outcomes," says Dr. Kelly. "Our results underscore the need for interventions aimed at avoiding new-onset overweight or obesity as well as treatment-based interventions for children who are overweight or obese at diagnosis and throughout treatment. This has the potential to reduce the risk of leukemia relapse and improve overall survival."
The research was enabled by grants from the American Cancer Society and the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation.
From the world's first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. Driven to eliminate cancer's grip on humanity, the Roswell Park team of 4,000 makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and is the only one to hold this designation in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email [email protected].
Media Contact
Annie Deck-Miller, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, 716-845-8593, [email protected], roswellpark.org
SOURCE Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
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