Researchers have found that men with cardiovascular disease face a higher risk of developing and dying from cancer compared to women with the same conditions, and to those without heart disease.
The study included approximately 11,000 people, who either had heart disease at the start of the study or developed it during the follow-up period.
The study found that the lifetime risk of developing cancer among those with heart disease was higher in men (17.3%) than in women (12.8%). Among those without heart disease, the risk of developing cancer was 10.2% for men and 8.2% for women.
Dr. Tiberio Bana, a cardiologist with the UK's National Health Service and a researcher at the University of Aberdeen, said: "We found that cancer incidence and death rates were higher in people with cardiovascular disease than in those without, a relationship we already knew about. But by following this large group of patients over a long period, we were able to examine it more closely. We also identified clear differences between men and women in a range of factors related to heart disease and all types of cancer."
Further analysis of cancers outside the reproductive system revealed that people with heart disease face higher rates of stomach, esophageal, lung, bowel, and non-melanoma skin cancers, and these cancers were also more common among men.
The study also found that men with heart disease have a higher risk of dying from stomach, esophageal, and lung cancers compared to those without heart disease. The study attributed this to shared risk factors between heart disease and cancer, such as smoking, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Dr. Rosa Teumler from the University of Aberdeen said: "We found that men were more likely to develop cancer and, worse, to die from it, and this was particularly evident among those with heart disease. Although this pattern was similar across all types of cancer, it was most pronounced in lung and esophageal cancers."
Professor Vio Myint from the University of Aberdeen urged "more efforts to improve risk management, targeted screening and prevention to address this health disparity."
Nicola Smith, director of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: "Many of the causes of cancer and heart disease overlap, which may explain the link between them. Both diseases are more common in deprived areas. Cancer is more likely to affect men, partly due to higher smoking rates, but more research is needed before we can confirm a stronger link between cancer and heart disease in men compared to women."
She added: "There are proven steps anyone can take to reduce their risk of cancer or heart disease, including quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing alcohol consumption."
