When breast cancer patients survive a myocardial infarction (MI), their risk of dying from cancer jumps by a whopping 60%, according to new research published in Nature Medicine.
The eye-opening study tracked more than 1,700 patients with early-stage breast cancer. Overall, the authors found that patients had a greater risk of cancer recurrence, cancer spread and cancer-related mortality after an MI, stroke or heart failure.
The team also tracked how cardiovascular events impacted mice, noting that simulating a heart attack led to a two-fold increase in tumor volume.
“By blunting the immune system's assault on cancer cells, a heart attack appears to provide an environment that enables tumor growth,” corresponding author Kathryn Moore, PhD, a professor of cardiology and director of the NYU Cardiovascular Research Center at NYU Langone Health, said in a statement.
The authors noted that their findings show just how important it is to focus on the cardiovascular health of patients.
“While further studies will be needed, our results provide support for the aggressive clinical management of cardiovascular risk factors, not only to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, but possibly breast cancer progression,” Moore said in the same statement.
“Given the evidence of cross-talk between cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, measures that lower the risk for a cardiovascular event, such as exercise and treating high cholesterol and high blood pressure, warrant further study as potential ways to keep patients' cancer from getting worse,” added lead author Graeme Koelwyn, PhD, of the NYU Cardiovascular Research Center.
The full study from Nature Medicine is available here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.