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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
09:59
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protocol for Stroke Onset Time Estimation in Permanent Cerebral Ischemia
Published on: September 16, 2017
Time-Dependent Association Between Breast Cancer and Risk of Ischemic Stroke: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Yong-Moon Mark Park1,2, Wonyoung Jung3, Bong-Sung Kim4
1Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
Neurology
|June 17, 2026
Summary
Breast cancer survivors face a higher risk of ischemic stroke shortly after diagnosis and treatment. However, this risk gradually decreases over time, emphasizing the need for ongoing cardiovascular monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The relationship between breast cancer diagnosis/treatment and ischemic stroke risk is not well understood.
- Investigating stroke risk in breast cancer survivors is crucial for survivorship care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ischemic stroke risk in breast cancer survivors.
- To evaluate how age, follow-up duration, and cancer treatment type influence stroke risk.
Main Methods:
- Nationwide, retrospective, matched cohort study using Korean National Health Insurance Service data.
- Identified women aged 18+ with new breast cancer diagnosis (surgery 2010-2016) and no prior stroke, matched 1:3 to cancer-free controls.
- Used Fine-Gray models to estimate subdistribution hazard ratios (sHRs) for ischemic stroke, accounting for competing risks and comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Analyzed 107,606 survivors and 322,818 controls over a mean 7.2-year follow-up.
- Ischemic stroke risk was elevated at 1 and 3 years post-diagnosis (1-year sHR 1.59; 3-year sHR 1.17).
- Long-term risk was slightly lower (sHR 0.94), and risk decreased with landmark analysis (sHR 0.87). Anthracycline and tamoxifen-aromatase inhibitor use increased risk; radiation therapy decreased risk. Risk was higher in low-income, hypertensive, diabetic, or smoking survivors.
Conclusions:
- Breast cancer is associated with a time-dependent ischemic stroke risk: elevated short-term, declining long-term.
- Proactive stroke risk management, including early cardiovascular assessment and monitoring, is essential during breast cancer survivorship.
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