Role of genetic predisposition in cardiovascular risk after cancer diagnosis

Evidence is scarce regarding the potential modifying role of disease susceptibility on the association between a prior cancer diagnosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A matched cohort study of the UK Biobank included 78,860 patients with a cancer diagnosis between 1997 en 2020, and 394,300 birth year and sex individually matched unexposed individuals. During nearly 23 years an elevated risk of CVD was constantly observed among cancer patients compared to their matched unexposed controls. Such excess risk was most pronounced (HR 5.28; 95% CI 4.90-5.69) within three months after a cancer diagnosis, which then decreased rapidly and stabilized after more than 6 months (HR 1.22; 95% CI 1.19-1.24). For all studied time periods, stratification analyses by both levels of polygenic risk score for CVD and by family history of CVD revealed higher estimates among individuals with lower genetic risk predisposition. The authors conclude that there is a need for enhanced psychological assistance and clinical surveillance of CVD among newly diagnosed cancer patients.