Cardiovascular Risk Predictors in Cancer Survivors

HealthDay News — Cancer history has an important effect on mortality independent of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, according to a study published online in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Marina Panova-Noeva, MD, PhD, from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz in Germany, and colleagues investigated traditional CV risk factors, including inflammation and coagulation profiles, in 723 long-term cancer survivors (cancer diagnosis of at least 5 years) and 13,626 individuals without a history of cancer.

The researchers found that history of cancer was associated with higher fibrinogen concentration, von Willebrand factor (vWf), and antithrombin activity, independent of CV risk factors and CVD. Compared with individuals with CVD without cancer history, cancer survivors with CVD showed particularly high vWf activity. A long-term history of cancer is associated with 73% higher mortality, independent of CV risk factors. Cancer survivors’ increased mortality was dependent on fibrinogen concentration and vWf activity level.

“These results underline the need to further investigate plasma biomarkers as complementary cardiovascular risk predictors in cancer survivors,” the authors wrote.

Reference

Panova-Noeva M, Schulz A, Arnold N, et al. Coagulation and inflammation in long-term cancer survivors: results from the adult population [published online February 12, 2018]. J Thromb Haemost. doi:10.1111/jth.13975