Recent studies have demonstrated that CV disease risk is significantly higher in those under 50 diagnosed with CRC. This risk is particularly high during the first two years of their diagnosis. Yet the risk for this group is much greater than that of their peers without cancer. This underscores the pressing demand for targeted cardiovascular assessments and interventions.
Patients recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, particularly those diagnosed before age 50, are in dire need. Cancer survivors are 2.4 times more likely to die from cardiovascular-related causes than those without cancer. Colorectal cancer tends to hit early—in colorectal cancer’s case, an average of 66 years old. What we’re now seeing is a disturbing surge in cases in younger adults. This disturbing trend highlights the need for heightened stewardship in tracking cardiovascular health among these patients.
Chemotherapy and radiation are standard treatments for colorectal cancer. They have harmful effects on the heart and vasculature. These interventions put them at greater risk for heart disease, hypertension, and blood clots. This creates a challenging health environment for people who are already in the battle against cancer.
“The importance of this is that these patients once diagnosed with colorectal cancer should be worked up for cardiovascular disease and treated appropriately. Furthermore, it provides further evidence that there may be similar causes for both cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, such as inflammation, diet, and obesity.” – Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD
The overlap between colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease might not be incidental. Inflammation, unhealthy diet, and obesity are common risk factors that could account for the increased mortality seen in colorectal cancer patients. Together, these factors radically increase the risk of cardiovascular complications and overall health risks. This deep connection underscores the need for holistic health assessments for impacted community members.
“Colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease share common risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and chronic inflammation. Studying this link helps determine whether these factors contribute to increased mortality in colorectal cancer patients.” – Ahsan Ayaz, MD
Due to the rising number of young adults coming in with colorectal cancer, oncologists recommend taking a more preventative approach to cardiac care. This means including cardio-oncological assessment opportunities into the treatment planning processes to prevent risks in an effective manner.
“Patients with colorectal cancer, particularly those among high-risk subgroups, should receive specialized cardio-oncological care particularly within two years of initial diagnosis,” – Ahsan Ayaz, MD
More research needs to be conducted in order to better comprehend this relationship. To do this, researchers are digging into ongoing and completed clinical trials to analyze them with systematic reviews and meta-analyses. They intend to identify risk factors that lead to increased cardiovascular mortality in CC patients.
“We plan to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published colorectal cancer clinical trials to assess the risk factors associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality.” – Ahsan Ayaz, MD
Leave a Reply