Long-term study links chronic conditions in midlife to higher cancer risk and mortality

Researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of California, Los Angeles, identified that comorbidities in midlife are associated with an increased risk of developing cancer and cancer-related mortality, with associations varying by cancer type. Chronic conditions were linked to higher cancer risks, offering insights that may inform prevention efforts.

Cross-disease communication, in which the diagnosis of one chronic condition accelerates the risk of a different subsequent disease, is receiving increasing attention. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that cardiac events such as heart failure and myocardial infarction can stimulate tumor growth and metastasis in mouse models of intestinal and breast cancers.

Clinical studies show that individuals diagnosed with heart failure or myocardial infarction face an increased risk of developing cancer compared with individuals without these conditions.

Screening bias remains a concern, as individuals diagnosed with cardiac conditions may undergo more frequent medical evaluations, leading to earlier detection of cancer. Broader evaluations across a range of comorbidities classified systematically are needed to confirm associations.

In the study, “Comorbidity in Midlife and Cancer Outcomes,” published in JAMA Network Open, researchers performed a secondary analysis of the prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) screening trial to investigate how midlife comorbidities affect future cancer risk and mortality.

A cohort of 128,999 adults aged 55 to 74 years was enrolled between 1993 and 2001 at 10 PLCO screening centers across the United States. Participants self-reported histories of 12 comorbid conditions, classified into five categories guided by World Health Organization taxonomy: cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, liver-related, and metabolic conditions.

After a median follow-up of 20 years, only respiratory (HR 1.07, 95 % CI 1.02–1.12) and cardiovascular (HR 1.02, 95 % CI 1.00–1.05) histories were associated with a statistically significant increase in overall cancer incidence. Metabolic, GI and liver conditions did not raise the pan-cancer risk, although each was strongly linked, positively or negatively, to several specific cancer types. Each comorbid condition was associated with an increased risk of at least one cancer type.

Liver conditions had the strongest association with future liver cancer (HR, 5.57; 95% CI, 4.03–7.71). Metabolic conditions were linked to higher risk of nine cancer types and lower risk of four types, including lung and prostate cancers.

Respiratory conditions (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.11–1.28), cardiovascular conditions (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04–1.13), and metabolic conditions (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05–1.14) were associated with increased cancer-specific mortality.

Findings indicate that midlife comorbidities influence cancer development and mortality risk. Public health strategies focused on early screening and management of chronic conditions may help improve cancer prevention and outcomes. Formal integration of comorbidity screening into routine cancer risk assessments could support more personalized cancer prevention programs.

© 2025 Science X Network