Colchester, UK – Experts caution that young individuals diagnosed with colon cancer face a significant risk of dying from heart problems compared to the general population. Research reveals that those with colorectal cancer have a 16% higher chance of succumbing to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes conditions like heart attacks and high blood pressure. The risk is more than doubled for patients diagnosed within the last two years, with the most devastating impact seen among young patients under the age of 50 who are increasingly affected by colon cancer. This group is nearly 2.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than their peers.
The connection between colon cancer and mortality from CVD remains unclear, but researchers suggest that aggressive cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation could potentially harm the heart, leading to an increased risk of heart-related conditions. Younger individuals may also require more intensive cancer treatments due to late-stage diagnoses resulting from a lack of screening and attributing symptoms to less severe causes. Based on these findings, experts call for heightened research and monitoring of cardiovascular outcomes in young colon cancer patients, particularly in the initial two years following diagnosis.
Dr. Ahsan Ayaz, a study author and internal medicine resident at Montefiore St Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in New York, emphasizes the critical two-year period after a colorectal cancer diagnosis, when patients require aggressive care to enhance cardiovascular outcomes. This care includes managing cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, highlighting the necessity for coordination between oncology and primary care teams. Colorectal cancer ranks as the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with an estimated 154,270 new cases and 52,900 deaths expected this year.
A study analyzing data from 630,000 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2000 and 2021 revealed an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular causes among these individuals, particularly within the first two years post-diagnosis. Young colon cancer patients under 50 were 2.4 times more likely to die from heart issues than their cancer-free counterparts of the same age group. Moreover, the study found that Black colorectal cancer patients faced a 74% higher risk of cardiovascular-related mortality, while white men had a 55% increased risk. Racial disparities in healthcare access and socioeconomic factors may contribute to these differences, urging the need for further investigation.
The increased cardiovascular risk among colon cancer patients may be attributed to heart damage resulting from cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation-induced cardiotoxicity. Inflammation and scarring caused by these treatments impact heart function, while the widespread inflammation caused by colon cancer can also affect the heart’s health. Younger individuals may face a greater risk of cardiovascular death due to the need for more aggressive cancer treatments, which can exacerbate cardiotoxicity. This underscores the importance of continuous research on cardiovascular mortality in colon cancer patients undergoing various treatment modalities to better understand and address these risks.