INFLUENCE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES AND PROGNOSIS OF PEDIATRIC LEUKEMIA: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Resumo

Childhood obesity, in addition to being a growing public health problem, can negatively influence the prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Evidence indicates that metabolic and inflammatory changes associated with excess weight contribute to a poorer treatment response, lower survival, and greater therapeutic resistance. Adipose tissue acts as an important factor in this process, favoring the survival of leukemia cells and interfering with the action of chemotherapeutics. Despite this, the results are still inconsistent, not allowing for the establishment of a definitive causal relationship. Even so, both obesity and malnutrition seem to impair disease progression, highlighting the importance of nutritional monitoring in pediatric oncology care.