Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026

05:44
Isolation of Proximal Fluids to Investigate the Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Published on: November 5, 2020
5.4K
Cardiovascular Risk in Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of 197 Studies.
Jázmin Németh1,2, Jimin Lee1, Orsolya Eperjesi1,3,4
1Centre for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary.
Cancers
|April 14, 2026
Summary
Thromboembolic events are common in pancreatic cancer patients at diagnosis and during treatment. Non-thrombotic cardiovascular diseases are as prevalent as in the general population, with risk primarily driven by the tumor itself.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cardiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) can impact cancer treatment efficacy.
- The prevalence and incidence of CVDs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are not well-established.
- Understanding CVD burden is crucial for managing PDAC patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence and incidence of CVDs in PDAC.
- To evaluate CVD burden at diagnosis and during cancer treatment.
- To identify potential drivers of thrombotic risk in PDAC.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases.
- Inclusion of studies reporting CVD prevalence or incidence in PDAC.
- Random-effects model meta-analysis to calculate pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
- Subgroup analyses based on cancer stage and treatment type.
Main Results:
- Non-thrombotic CVDs (hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke) showed prevalence similar to the general population in PDAC patients.
- Incidence of non-thrombotic CVDs during treatment remained low (1-10%).
- Thrombotic events (excluding pulmonary embolism) occurred in 11% at diagnosis and 8-10% during treatment, irrespective of stage or treatment.
- Pulmonary embolism affected 3% at diagnosis and occurred at a similar rate during treatment.
Conclusions:
- Thromboembolic events are frequent in PDAC, occurring at diagnosis and during follow-up.
- The incidence of thrombotic events is stable across treatment modalities and disease stages, suggesting the tumor is the primary driver.
- Prevalence of non-thrombotic CVDs in PDAC mirrors the general population, with minimal variation.

