Cancer Survivors Cardiovascular Risk Associated with Chemotherapy Heart Disease

Cancer Survivors at Elevated Cardiovascular Risk

New research reveals that cancer survivors are at an increased risk of cardiovascular events, particularly those who underwent chemotherapy. The findings, detailed in a recent study published in Cancer, indicate that such individuals face significant challenges related to heart disease, including a heightened likelihood of stroke and heart attacks.

Study Overview

The study draws from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 15,454 elderly participants, 1392 of whom developed cancer during the study period. The participants were monitored for an average of 4.6 years, focusing on cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.

Cardiovascular Events Compared

• Cancer survivors experienced a rate of cardiovascular events of 20.8 per 1000 person-years.
• Non-cancer participants had a considerably lower rate of 10.3 per 1000 person-years.

Moreover, the data showed that chemotherapy patients had a twofold increase in cardiovascular events compared to other cancer treatments.

Implications for Treatment

Lead researcher Suzanne Orchard, PhD, emphasized the implications of the findings, stating that cardiovascular disease can significantly affect both quality of life and overall survival rates among cancer survivors. Emphasizing the importance of early screening and preventative measures could help mitigate these risks.