HHS HealthBeat (August 6, 2012)

After the cancer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Getting through the treatment may not be the end of the story for teenagers or young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. A study says many of them have chronic medical problems that may not be related to cancer but may be related to lifestyle.

Researchers saw that in 2009 national survey data on 4,000 teen and young adult cancer survivors and about 345,000 people without cancer. The survivors were more likely to report heart disease, high blood pressure and other conditions, and were more likely to smoke and to be obese.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researcher Eric Tai:

“Cancer survivors need to be aware of the long-term risks associated with unhealthy behaviors and chronic medical conditions.”

The study was in the journal Cancer.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August 12, 2012