A new study conducted recently in the United Kingdom has found that heart failure may increase the risk of developing several types of cancer. Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood throughout the body as it should, often following damage to the heart muscles after a heart attack.
The study, which involved over 200,000 people, found that about a quarter of heart failure patients developed cancer, compared to only 16% of those without heart disease. Women with heart failure were 85% more likely to develop cancer, while men were 69% more likely. Evidence suggests that failing hearts may produce proteins that cause inflammation, which could increase the likelihood of tumor formation in the body.
The study was conducted over ten years, involving 100,124 heart failure patients and 100,124 individuals without the condition, with an average age of 72. Among the two groups, which included individuals of similar ages and obesity levels, 25.7% of those with heart failure developed cancer compared to only 16.2% of the group without heart failure.
It was found that the risk of developing throat, mouth, and lip tumors was more than doubled for individuals with heart failure, while the risk of skin cancer was 83% higher, and the risk of breast cancer was 67% higher.
The study also revealed that 28.6% of women with heart failure developed cancer, compared to 18.8% of women without heart failure. The rate among men was 23.2% for those with heart failure, versus 13.8% for those without.
While the authors took into account participants' obesity and diabetes, they did not consider behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise levels, which may increase the risk for both heart failure and cancer.
The research was presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference, held online, and published in the journal "EHJ - Heart Failure," according to the British Daily Mail.
