Cancer survivors, particularly those with genitourinary tumors (GU), have a 10-year higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population, according to research findings reported in an PLOS AON.1,2
The study showed that 35.1% of cancer survivors had a high 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) compared to 23.4% of individuals with no history of cancer. The average 10-year ASCVD estimated risks were 8.3% compared to 5.1%, respectively. Survivors of GU cancer, including bladder / kidney (odds ration) had the highest 10-year risk [OR], 7.27), prostate cancer (OR, 9.45), and testicular cancer (OR, 11.47).
“The good news is that we are becoming very good at treating cancer and there are more survivors, but we need to start thinking carefully about the risks of non-cancer after diagnosis, and one of these cardiovascular disease, ”senior study author Ashley Felix, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University, said in a press release. “We don’t want people to survive cancer alone to die prematurely from heart disease or stroke, so we need to make sure that cancer patients, and their healthcare team, are aware of this increased risk.”
For their analysis, the researchers applied statistical modeling data from the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2007 and 2016 for patients aged 40 to 79 years with no history of CVD. The study included data from 15,095 people with an average age of 55.2 years. Overall, 12.3% (n = 1604) of patients reported a history of cancer.
Patient characteristics showed that 53% were white, 71.7% white non-Hispanic, and 9.9% non-Hispanic Black. In addition, 32.4% were in college or higher education, and 70.3% were married.
The researchers noted that age was a significant change in the association between cancer history and 10-year risk of ASCVD. On this line, patients diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 60 and 69 were significantly higher than at 10-year greater risk of ASCVD (OR, 2.24); however, the numbers of elevated 10-year ASCVD risk in other age-indicated subgroups did not appear to be affected by a history of cancer.
“If we continue to see more and more cancers among younger adults, we can expect to see a greater burden of cardiovascular disease among these people – our future studies need to go in that direction. , ”Said Felix.
Commenting on the study in the press release, lead researcher Xiaochen Zhang, a PhD candidate at Ohio State College of Public Health, said, “The good news is that these younger people have a lot of time. make a life that could shift their cardiovascular risk in a positive direction. In addition to closely monitoring cancer survivors for cardiovascular disease – and making them aware of the increased risk – healthcare providers have the opportunity to direct patients toward potential interventions. reduce the risk. ”
References
1. Zhang X, Pawlikowski M, Olivo-Marston S, et al. Ten-year cardiovascular risk among cancer survivors: the national health and nutrition study. PLoS One. 2021; 16 (3): e0247919. doi: 10.1371 / journal.pone.0247919
2. Those living with cancer face a high risk of heart disease, a study found. Published online 17 March 2021. Accessed 17 March 2021. https://bit.ly/3bWTUNc