Image credit: UCLA Health.
New research points to deeper connections between cardiac biomarkers linked to future cancer risk, even without heart disease.
Cancer and heart disease, two leading causes of death worldwide, may be more connected than we previously thought, according to a new UCLA Health study revealing that certain cardiac blood markers can strongly predict future cancer risk — even in people with no history or symptoms of heart disease.
The study found that very small elevations in two cardiac biomarkers — high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) — are strong and independent predictors of overall cancer risk, with a higher incidence in specific types of cancer.
While elevated baseline levels of both hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP were associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, NT-proBNP alone was also linked to a higher risk of developing lung cancer.
Lead author Dr Xinjiang Cai, a UCLA Health cardiologist and physician-scientist, said: “These biomarkers are already well-known indicators of cardiovascular risk, but our findings suggest their predictive power may reach well beyond heart disease to encompass cancer risk too.
“The idea that slight elevations of heart-related blood markers might also help flag cancer risk in people with no known heart problems highlights how interconnected cardiovascular health and cancer may be, beyond just their shared common risk factors.”
Cohort study
The study analysed data from 6,244 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a prospective cohort study of adults aged 45 to 84 years who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer between 2000 and 2002.
Participants were followed for a median of 17.8 years, during which incident cancer events were obtained through hospitalisation records.
Researchers measured participants’ baseline levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and examined the association between these levels and subsequent cancer risk.
Cais said: “These findings can help bridge the knowledge gap at the intersection of preventive cardiology and oncology and can lead to better risk prediction and prevention strategies for both diseases.”
The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances.
