NEW DELHI — Patients diagnosed with cancer face a significantly higher risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study that highlights the growing need for integrated heart and cancer care.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that the increased risk may be linked to changes in inflammation- and coagulation-related proteins among people with cancer. Researchers emphasized the importance of closely managing endocrine, kidney, and inflammation-related risk factors in this population.
“Our study found an elevated cardiovascular death in patients with cancer,” the research team said. “Patients with cancer need to pay attention to the risk of cardiovascular mortality, particularly among younger individuals and those diagnosed at an early stage.”
The researchers noted that while previous studies have established a connection between cancer and cardiovascular disease, the genetic and biological mechanisms behind the association have remained unclear. The new study sought to better understand the relationship between cancer diagnoses and cardiovascular mortality, as well as the underlying pathways involved.
The analysis included data from 379,944 participants who did not have cardiovascular disease at the start of the study, including 65,047 individuals with cancer. Researchers used genome-wide association studies, phenome-wide association studies, and proteomic analyses to examine potential genetic and protein-level links.
The findings showed only limited overlap in genetic variations between cancer and cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension and cardiac rhythm disorders. However, the researchers identified nine independent risk factors for cardiovascular death, including age, sex, smoking, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c levels, cystatin C, and neutrophil count.
The study also found that survival probabilities from cardiovascular disease were similar between participants with and without cancer during the first 10 years of follow-up. After that period, however, survival declined more sharply among cancer patients.
Researchers suggested this trend may be linked to changes following cancer treatment, including reduced tumor burden and the resolution of inflammation and coagulation abnormalities.
The findings underscore the need for long-term cardiovascular monitoring and preventive care in cancer survivors, particularly as patients live longer following advances in cancer treatment. (Source: IANS)
