Cancer treatment induced metabolic syndrome: Improving outcome with lifestyle

•Cancer treatment related morbidity impairs long-term survival.•The aetiology of the cancer treatment induced metabolic syndrome is multifactorial.•Lifestyle change plays a key role in cancer treatment induced metabolic syndrome.•Early addressing of lifestyle may prevent treatment related morbidity.

Increasing numbers of long-term cancer survivors face important treatment related adverse effects. Cancer treatment induced metabolic syndrome (CTIMetS) is an especially prevalent and harmful condition. The aetiology of CTIMetS likely differs from metabolic syndrome in the general population, but effective treatment and prevention methods are probably similar. In this review, we summarize the potential mechanisms leading to the development of CTIMetS after various types of cancer treatment. Furthermore, we propose a safe and accessible method to treat or prevent CTIMetS through lifestyle change. In particular, we suggest that a lifestyle intervention and optimization of energy balance can prevent or mitigate the development of CTIMetS, which may contribute to optimal survivorship care.