Survivorship care should include assessment for cardiovascular disease
Researchers surveyed survivors of breast, colorectal, gynecologic, and prostate cancers and found that when compared with the general adult population, cancer survivors have increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
For the study, Kathryn E. Weaver, PhD, assistant professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, and colleagues surveyed 1582 survivors who were between 4 and 14 years post-diagnosis. Study participants completed a questionnaire related to CVD risk factors (body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, physical inactivity, and smoking). The surveys also inquired whether discussions with healthcare providers concerning lifestyle changes through diet, exercise, and quitting smoking had occurred.
In a comparison with the general adult population, study results showed that CVD risk factors were more common among cancer survivors, with the exception of current smoking. Survey findings indicated that 62% of the survivors were overweight, 55% had hypertension, 20.7% reported diabetes, 18.1% were physically inactive, and 5.1% were current smokers.
Moreover, almost one-third of cancer survivors with CVD risk factors did not report discussions with their medical providers regarding healthy lifestyle changes.
According to Weaver, “Our message is that cardiovascular disease risk should be assessed as part of a comprehensive survivorship care plan because of the risk for both poor heart disease and cancer outcomes.”
Study results are published online in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship.
Source: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.