Long-term risks of cardiovascular death in a population-based cohort of 1,141,675 older patients with cancer

Background previous studies have focused on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death in individual cancers, adolescents or all cancers. Objective to evaluate the risk of CVD-related death in older patients with cancer. Methods older patients with cancer (over 65 years) of 16 cancers diagnosed between 1975 and 2018 were screened out from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program. The proportion of deaths, competing risk regression models, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and absolute excess risks (AERs) were used to assess the risk of CVD-related death. Results this study included 1,141,675 older patients (median follow-up: 13.5 years). Of the 16 individual cancers, the risk of CVD death exceeded primary neoplasm death in older patients with cancers of the breast, endometrium, vulva, prostate gland, penis and melanoma of the skin over time (high competing risk group). Compared to the general older population, older patients with cancer had higher SMR and AER of CVD-related death (SMR: 1.58-4.23; AER: 21.16-365.89), heart disease-related death (SMR: 1.14-4.16; AER: 16.29-301.68) and cerebrovascular disease-related death (SMR: 1.11-4.66; AER: 3.02-72.43), with the SMR trend varying with CVD-related death competing risk classifications. The risk of CVD-related death in the high-competing risk group was higher than in the low-competing risk group. Conclusions for older patients with cancer, six of 16 individual cancers, including breast, endometrium, vulva, prostate gland, penis and melanoma of the skin was at high risk of CVD-related death. Management for long-term cardiovascular risk in older patients with cancer is needed.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death in older patients (over 65 years) with cancer. The results showed that older patients with breast, endometrium, vulva, prostate gland, penis and melanoma of the skin cancers had a higher risk of CVD-related death compared to primary neoplasm death. The risk of CVD-related death was also higher in older patients with cancer compared to the general older population. Long-term cardiovascular risk management is needed for older patients with cancer.