Cancer survivors had higher predicted cardiovascular risk
Average predicted 10-year cardiovascular risk was 10.0% in cancer survivors without known cardiovascular disease, compared with 5.2% in adults without a cancer history.
Our read
Populations- Studied:
- Study in people
- Why it’s aging research:
- It bears on staying healthy in midlife and later life.
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Among 15,055 U.S. adults aged 30–79 without known cardiovascular disease—conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels—an observational analysis compared cancer survivors with adults without a cancer history. The researchers used national health survey data collected from 2011 to March 2020 and an American Heart Association risk calculator. Cancer survivors made up 10.5% of the sample.
Survivors' average predicted 10-year cardiovascular risk was 10.0%, versus 5.2% in adults without a cancer history. After adjustment for race and ethnicity, education, income relative to poverty level, and survey cycle, predicted risk was 5.05 percentage points higher in survivors. High predicted risk, defined as at least 10%, was more common in survivors: 41.3% versus 16.8%. The authors highlighted the higher burden particularly at ages 30–64.
Why it matters
Because cardiovascular risk accumulates as people age, the findings support the authors' call for systematic heart disease risk assessment in cancer survivorship care.
Caveats
The analysis used cross-sectional survey data and estimated 10-year risk from an equation rather than tracking actual cardiovascular events. In addition, cancer diagnoses and the absence of prior heart disease were self-reported.
The paper
Baptist Hosps of Southeast Texas; B.J. Med College
AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 Abstract, Nov 2, 2026
Presented at AHA Scientific Sessions 2026, abstract 11515
Comments
Be the first to comment.