Heart disease markers may predict future cancer risk

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.

"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, says Dr. Xinjiang Cai, a UCLA Health cardiologist and physician-scientist, and lead author of the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances. "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."

The study analyzed 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 hospitalization 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." 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," Cai said.

Co-authors of the study include experts in cardiovascular medicine, epidemiology, and population science from five leading academic institutions across the United States-UCLA, the University of Washington, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, and the Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.