Cardiovascular diseases linked with development and survival in lung cancer

A new study published in Frontiers in Oncology suggests that the increased risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality associated with the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggests that CVD plays a role in the emergence and deterioration of lung cancer survival.

The development of lung cancer after cardiovascular illness has been linked in previous research. However, there is still a dearth of empirical data linking CVDs, particularly type-specific CVDs, to lung cancer incidence and survival. Ce Wang and colleagues undertook this investigation to evaluate the relationship between cardiovascular disorders and the onset of cancer.

This population-based, prospective, national matched cohort study included all newly diagnosed CVD patients in Denmark (n = 306,285) who were matched to 4 control subjects without CVD (n = 1,222,140) on the basis of sex and age. The Danish National Patient Registry provided information on the new CVD cases (1967-2006). These people were referred to as the "exposed" cohort, while the "unexposed" group included the matched control subjects. Based on the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Causes of Death Register, the main outcomes were lung cancer incidence and lung cancer mortality. Potential confounders such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking, alcoholism, cohabitation, and education level were taken into account while analyzing the results.

The key findings of this study were:

1. During a maximum of 42 years of follow-up, 243 (0.08%) and 537 (0.04%) participants, who were matched with CVD patients, were found to have lung cancer, respectively.

2. Lung cancer risk was elevated by 67% in patients with CVD.

3. Patients with vascular disease (1.88, 1.35-2.61), cardiac disease (1.93, 1.30-2.85), and hypertensive disease (1.46, 1.15-1.85), respectively, showed the elevated risks.

4. Lung cancer mortality was 95% more likely to occur in patients with CVD (1.95, 1.50-2.55), especially vascular disease (3.24, 1.74-6.02) and heart disease (2.29, 1.23-4.26).

5. Patients with CVD who were diagnosed in middle adulthood (>40 years old) often had greater incidence risks (3.44, 2.28-5.19) and death (3.67, 1.80-7.46) than those who were detected earlier in life.

In conclusion, CVD is linked to a 67% higher chance of developing lung cancer and a 95% higher risk of dying from it. For those who had their CVD diagnosed in middle adulthood (age, >40 years), the elevated risk for lung cancer was greatest.

Reference:

Wang, C., Lu, D., Cronin-Fenton, D., Huang, C., Liew, Z., Wei, D., Qin, G., Yu, Y., & Li, J. (2022). Cardiovascular disease and risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality: A nationwide matched cohort study. In Frontiers in Oncology (Vol. 12). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.950971