Association Between Inflammation and Risk of Cardiovascular Mortality in Cancer Survivors

Cancer and cardiovascular disease are closely linked, contributing to high mortality rates and significant disease burden. Inflammation serves as a common risk factor for both conditions, yet there is a lack of data on systemic inflammation and its impact on cardiovascular mortality in cancer survivors.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between inflammation and cardiovascular mortality in cancer survivors.

We analyzed 15,420 UK Biobank participants with prior cancer and no active therapy. Multivariable analyses using competing-risk models were conducted to assess the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the risk of cardiovascular mortality in cancer survivors.

During a median follow-up of 10.2 ± 1.9 years, there were 1,167 deaths among cancer survivors (7.6%), including 813 cancer-related deaths and 103 cardiovascular deaths. Unadjusted competing-risk analysis revealed that CRP levels >2 mg/L conferred a 1.12-fold higher risk of cardiovascular death in cancer survivors compared to CRP ≤2 mg/L (sub-distribution hazard ratio [sHR]: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.40-3.21; P < 0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle factors, and clinical characteristics, CRP levels >2 mg/L remained linked to a 64% increased risk of cardiovascular death (sHR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.07-2.50; P = 0.023). Subgroup analyses further confirmed the consistent finding.

This study demonstrates that chronic inflammation is significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality in cancer survivors. Future research should focus on whether targeting inflammatory pathways can reduce the burden of cardiovascular mortality in this population.