Study cancers also increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes

Increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and vascular occlusions due to cancer

It has been known for some time that cancer patients are at higher risk for thrombosis. A new study has shown that cancer also increases the risk of developing heart attacks, strokes and vascular occlusions.

Number of cancers is increasing

More and more people are getting cancer. In Germany, the number of new diagnoses has almost doubled since 1970. After the diagnosis cancer often follow surgery, radiation and / or chemotherapy. In some cases, however, other diseases must be treated in parallel with the patients. Because a cancer is among other things a risk factor for the occurrence of Thrombosen. But there are more threats.

A currently existing cancer is a strong risk factor for the occurrence of venous thrombosis. In addition, cancer also has a negative impact on the risk of developing heart attacks, strokes and vascular occlusions. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com)

Risk factor for the occurrence of venous thrombosis

As the Medical University (MedUni) Vienna writes in a communication, a currently existing cancer is known to be a strong risk factor for the occurrence of venous thrombosis.

So far, it has remained unclear whether cancer also has a negative impact on the risk of developing heart attacks, strokes or vascular occlusions of peripheral arteries.

For the first time, a study by researchers from the Clinical Department of Hematology and Hemostaseology at the University Department of Internal Medicine I at MedUni Vienna shows that the risk of these arterial thromboses and their consequences in the case of cancer are also higher.

The results of the study were recently published in the journal "Haematologica".

Risk varies within different tumor types

"We found that the risk of arterial thrombosis in malignant tumors is well below the venous thrombosis, but varies widely within different tumor types," says first author Ella Grilz the new findings.

"For example, the risk of arterial thrombosis in malignant neoplasms of the kidneys and lungs is significantly higher than in breast cancers," she continues.

This is the most recent finding from the prospective CATS study (Cancer and Thrombosis Study), which has been running since 2003, and which includes more than 2,000 cancer patients.

The main focus of the CATS study, led by Ingrid Pabinger and Cihan Ay, is the search for factors that can help predict the occurrence of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients.

Death rate increased significantly

The current results in detail: Within a period of two years, the risk of arterial thrombosis for cancer patients averages 2.6 percent.

Although this is significantly lower than in venous thrombosis with about eight percent, but the risk of arterial thrombosis in some types of tumors is significantly higher.

For example, patients with malignant tumors of the kidney also developed arterial thrombosis in about eight percent of cases during the two-year study period.

In addition, it has been shown that the death rate in patients who suffer from a heart attack, stroke or peripheral arterial vascular occlusion during their cancer increases threefold.

"The new results demonstrate that arterial thrombosis in patients with malignant disease is associated with increased mortality. Therefore, those affected need our special medical attention to minimize complications, "said Cihan Ay.

Future studies of the CATS study will investigate potential biomarkers of heart attacks, strokes and vascular occlusions in patients with malignant tumor disease.

According to the experts, the "Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study", which has been running for 15 years, has already yielded a number of important findings that improve clinical risk assessment and contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of tumor-associated thrombosis. (Ad)