Data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance has found a disturbing link between the number of young people who develop cardiovascular disease and those with colon cancer
People who suffer from colon cancer are more likely to later develop heart problems in a cruel twist, researchers have discovered.
The team in the USA found the patients were 16 per cent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease after receiving “aggressive care” to fight their cancer. The researchers used data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. This was analyzed for its outcomes among more than 630,000 adults in the US diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2000 and 2021, with the risk at its highest in the first two years after a colorectal cancer diagnosis – at around 45 per cent.
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Dr Ahsan Ayaz, MD, an internal medicine resident at Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, New York, and a member of the research team, said: “Based on our findings, the two-year period after a colorectal cancer diagnosis is a critical period when patients need aggressive care to improve cardiovascular outcomes.
“For example, there should be an aggressive approach to control cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension. There is also a need for coordination between oncology teams and primary care teams, because most of those risk factors are managed by primary care providers.
“For therapies that are newer, there is not a lot of data on the side effects and toxicities, but evidence is emerging that they cause cardiovascular toxicity. It is important to identify these problems promptly and take steps to mitigate them.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and many studies have shown people with cancer experience an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. A 2022 study found cancer survivors had a 37% increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between cardiovascular mortality and colorectal cancer specifically has not been well studied.
The risk was especially pronounced among people younger than the age of 50, who were 2.4 times more likely to die of cardiovascular causes than people in the same age group who did not have colorectal cancer. Black patients with colorectal cancer faced a 74% increased risk compared with the general population, while males faced a 55% increased risk.
Dr Ayaz said disparities seen in the study could stem from multiple factors, such as differences in socioeconomic status and geographic location or access to care.