Daijiworld Media Network - Beijing

Beijing, Jan 6: Patients diagnosed with cancer are at a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases (CVD), according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The increased risk may be linked to altered expression of proteins related to inflammation and blood coagulation, researchers said.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, who stressed the importance of closely managing endocrine, kidney and inflammation-related risk factors in people living with cancer.

“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. In clinical practice, it is recommended to emphasise the management of endocrine, kidney and inflammation-related risk factors in the cancer population,” they added.

While earlier studies have established a link between cancer and cardiovascular disease, the underlying genetic and proteomic mechanisms have remained unclear. The latest research aimed to examine the association between cancer diagnosis and cardiovascular mortality and explore the possible biological mechanisms involved.

The researchers analysed data from 3,79,944 participants who had no cardiovascular disease at baseline, including 65,047 individuals diagnosed with cancer. Advanced methods such as genome-wide association studies, phenome-wide association studies and proteomic analyses were used to assess shared risk factors.

The findings revealed limited overlap in genetic variations between cancer and cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension and cardiac dysrhythmias. The team also identified nine independent risk factors associated with cardiovascular death: age, sex, smoking, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c levels, cystatin C and neutrophil count.

Notably, survival from cardiovascular disease was similar in participants with and without cancer during the first 10 years of follow-up. However, beyond this period, survival declined more sharply among cancer patients.

The researchers suggested that this trend could be linked to changes in systemic tumour burden and the resolution of inflammation and coagulation disorders following cancer treatments.

The study highlights the growing need for integrated care approaches that address cardiovascular health alongside cancer treatment, particularly as cancer survival rates continue to improve.