Study Finds Link Between Metastatic Breast Cancer and Heart Disease

People diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer have a notably increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those with early-stage cancer at diagnosis, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States and share many risk factors. However, growing evidence indicates that CVD may play a direct role in the development and progression of cancer. The investigators of this study postulated that individuals with prevalent CVD may present with more advanced breast cancer at the time of diagnosis.

In this population-based case control study, researchers analyzed a group of 19,292 matched patients (at least 66 years of age) with invasive breast cancer. The primary end point of interest was defined as the odds of locally advanced (T3-4 or N+) or metastatic (M+) breast cancer status at diagnosis.

A Troubling Correlation

The analysis found that that individuals with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer at diagnosis had statistically significantly increased odds of prevalent CVD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17; P = .007). The investigators noted this correlation was observed among patients with hormone receptor–positive (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03-1.19; P = .006) but not hormone receptor–negative (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86-1.21; P = .83) breast cancer.

“Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and investigate interventions to improve patient outcomes, including personalized cancer screening,” the researchers concluded.