Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases Are Associated With Incident Metastatic and Nonmetastatic Cancer

Cardiovascular diseases are associated with higher cancer risk. However, their relationship with metastatic cancer, the primary determinant of cancer prognosis, has not been studied.

This study aimed to determine the association between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and the presence of metastasis at the time of cancer diagnosis.

We analyzed data from 21,654 self-referred adults who were free of cancer and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at enrollment in a preventive health care program. To exclude silent cancers, a 1-year blanking period was implemented at the start of the follow-up. The relationship between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and metastatic cancer was assessed using cause-specific Cox regression, treating incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a time-dependent covariate. Interaction analysis further elucidated differences in metastasis risks between middle-aged adults (Q1-Q3 age ≤54 years) and older adults (Q4 age >54 years).

Over a median follow-up of 6 years (Q1-Q3: 3-12 years), we recorded 1,333 cases of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (6.2%) and 1,793 cases of cancer (8.3%), of which 1,036 (4.8 %) were nonmetastatic and 757 (3.5%) were metastatic at diagnosis. After adjusting for shared risk factors, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was independently associated with an increased risk of cancer metastasis at the time of cancer diagnosis (HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.33-2.29). This association was more pronounced among middle-aged adults (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.03-2.61; P = 0.036) than in older adults (HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.78-1.60; P = 0.56), with a significant interaction (P _interaction = 0.039).

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer, specifically metastasis at the time of cancer diagnosis, particularly in middle-aged adults. Recognizing this association could enhance the prevention and treatment of metastatic cancer in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.