Cancer treatment can take a major toll on the hearts of child survivors of the disease, a new study indicates.

The survival rate among children with cancer has increased significantly in recent years, due to major medical advances.

"Research has shown childhood cancer survivors face heart and other health problems decades after treatment. But researchers had not - until now - looked at the heart health effects of childhood cancer treatment while survivors are still children," explained the study's lead author, Dr Donald Dengel, of the University of Minnesota.

He and his team decided to investigate this further. They measured the arterial function of 319 children aged between nine and 18. This involved measuring the stiffness, thickness and function of the arteries.

All of the children had survived cancer and were at least five years cancer-free at the time of the study. They were then compared to over 200 siblings who had never been diagnosed with cancer.

The study found that those who had cancer were more likely to show signs of premature heart disease than those without cancer. This was demonstrated by a decline in their arterial function.

Overall, children who had battled leukaemia had a 9% decrease in their arterial health after completing chemotherapy compared to children who had never had cancer.

"Given this increased risk, children who survive cancer should make lifestyle changes to lower their cardiovascular risk," Dr Dengel said.

He also pointed out that healthcare providers who are involved in the care of childhood cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy ‘need to monitor cardiovascular risk factors immediately following the completion of their patients' cancer therapy'.

Dr Dengel noted that because of differences in cancer treatment protocols, ‘we are unable to attribute the changes in vascular structure and function to a specific chemotherapy agent'.

Details of these findings were presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.

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