Men with heart disease face higher cancer risk

A 25-year study by the University of Aberdeen and Keele University, published in the European Heart Journal, found that men with cardiovascular disease (CVD) have a significantly higher risk of developing and dying from cancer compared to women with CVD and to those without CVD. The study analyzed data from 22,534 participants in the EPIC-Norfolk study, of whom nearly 11,000 had or developed CVD. The lifetime risk of developing cancer was 17.3% for men with CVD versus 12.8% for women with CVD, and 10.2% for men without CVD versus 8.2% for women without CVD. The increased risk was most pronounced for lung and oesophageal cancers, and also included gastric, bowel, and non-melanoma skin cancers. The primary drivers identified were smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption. Researchers and health charities, including the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, called for improved risk management, targeted screening, and better integration of cardio-oncology care to address this health inequality.