P10 Association of cardiovascular disease and risk of cancer: Prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cancer are two of major non-communicable diseases. However, it is unclear whether individuals with cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors experienced a higher risk of developing or dying from cancer.

Aim

To determine the association between cardiovascular diseases and cancer risk in UK Biobank cohort.

Methodology

502,535 participants aged between 37–73 years from the UK Biobank prospective cohort were included in this study. The association between CVD and incidence and mortality of all cancer was investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Analyses were adjusted for all major confounding factors.

Results

After multivariable adjustment, individuals with cardiovascular diseases had a higher risk of cancer incidence (HR: 1.06, 95%IC: 1.03–1.09). Similar results were found for hypertension (HR: 1.07, 95%IC: 1.04–1.10), but not diabetes (HR: 1.05, 95%IC: 0.99–1.11). Higher risk of cancer mortality was also found in individuals with cardiovascular diseases (HR: 1.11, 95%IC: 1.05–1.17), hypertension (HR: 1.12, 95%IC: 1.06–1.18) and diabetes (HR: 1.34, 95%IC: 1.22–1.47) independent of age, sex, ethnicity, adiposity and lifestyle factors (physical activity, diet and sleep).

Discussion

Although some of the associations decreased in magnitude after adjusting for confounding factors, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension were still associated with cancer mortality. Similar results were observed for cancer incidence except for diabetes where the association seems to be explained by adiposity.

Conclusion

People with cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors are at higher risk of cancer independent of common risk factors.