Women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer at the time of diagnosis are more likely to have prevalent heart disease, according to researchers from the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Women with heart disease may be at increased risk for advanced breast cancer, a new study finds.
Researchers reviewed data from more than 19,000 patients and found those with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer at the time of diagnosis were 10% more likely to have pre-existing heart disease compared to those at stage 1 or stage 2.
The senior author says, “Cardiovascular disease can induce an immunosuppressive state, potentially fostering accelerated breast tumor cell growth and spread.”
Participants with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer were most likely to have pre-existing heart disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, these subtypes account for nearly 70% of cases and are very treatable if caught early. But the survival rate drops significantly in more advanced stages.
The authors say these findings suggest that individuals with heart disease may benefit from earlier or more frequent breast cancer screenings.
Additional studies are needed to confirm the results.
Source: JAMA Network Open
Author Affiliations: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
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