A strong link between heart disease and advanced breast cancer

Study shows strong link between heart disease and advanced breast cancer — Credit: Unsplash+

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States.

A new study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, published in JAMA Network Open, has found that women diagnosed with late-stage or metastatic breast cancer are more likely to have had cardiovascular disease before their cancer diagnosis compared to those diagnosed at an earlier stage.

The study revealed a 10% higher likelihood of pre-existing CVD among patients with advanced breast cancer.

Additionally, the risk was highest for individuals with a specific breast cancer subtype: hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative (HER2−). In this group, 11% of patients were found to have pre-existing CVD.

Dr. Kevin Nead, senior author and assistant professor of Epidemiology and Radiation Oncology, explained the potential link between the two conditions: “Cardiovascular disease can create an immunosuppressive environment, possibly accelerating the growth and spread of breast tumor cells.

Our findings suggest that women with cardiovascular disease are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, highlighting an important connection.”

The study analyzed data from over 19,000 individuals with a median age of 73, using information from the SEER-Medicare linked databases covering the years 2009 to 2020.

The researchers compared the presence of CVD in patients with early-stage breast cancer (stages I-II) versus advanced cancer (stages III-IV). Nearly half (49%) of the individuals in the study had some form of CVD, including coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure, or arterial disease.

Breast cancer subtype also played a significant role. HR+/HER2− breast cancer accounts for nearly 70% of all breast cancer cases in the United States. When detected early, this subtype is highly treatable.

However, the survival rate drops significantly when the disease progresses to a metastatic stage, with only 34% of patients surviving five years. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of early detection and prevention strategies for this group.

The researchers suggest that individuals with CVD may benefit from personalized breast cancer screening strategies. Earlier or more frequent screenings could help catch cancer at a more treatable stage, particularly for those at higher risk of advanced disease.

However, the study has limitations. It is observational, meaning it cannot prove that CVD causes advanced breast cancer.

Additionally, factors like smoking, potential misclassification of CVD, and residual biases could influence the results. The predominantly white cohort also raises concerns about how applicable the findings are to more diverse populations.

Despite these limitations, the study highlights the need for greater awareness of the link between cardiovascular health and cancer outcomes.

By addressing shared risk factors and improving early detection efforts, healthcare providers may be able to reduce the burden of both diseases and improve outcomes for at-risk individuals.

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For more information about cancer, please see recent studies that new cancer treatment could reawaken the immune system, and results showing vitamin D can cut cancer death risk.

The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.