A groundbreaking new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has uncovered a troubling connection: postmenopausal women who are overweight and suffer from heart disease may face a significantly higher risk of breast cancer than those without heart issues. The research, published in the journal CANCER, analyzed data from over 168,000 women across Europe and the UK, revealing that weight, combined with cardiovascular health, plays a critical role in cancer risk.
It’s long been known that a higher body mass index (BMI) can raise the risk of breast cancer after menopause. But this study delves deeper, asking, what happens when obesity meets cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes? The answer: it can be dangerous.
According to the findings, for every 5 kg/m² increase in BMI:
1. Women with cardiovascular disease had a 31% higher risk of developing breast cancer.
2. Women without cardiovascular disease saw a 13% increase in risk.
Surprisingly, the presence of type 2 diabetes didn’t significantly alter the weight-cancer link. This means that even without diabetes, excess weight puts women at risk, especially when heart disease is involved.
The study pulled from two large health databases, the EPIC study and the UK Biobank – tracking women over an average of 11 years. During that period, nearly 6,800 women developed breast cancer, with researchers estimating that overweight women with CVD may face 153 extra cases per 100,000 women per year.
Dr Heinz Freisling, the study’s lead author from WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, said these findings could help develop more personalised breast cancer screening strategies. He also stressed the importance of including heart patients in weight-loss programs, not just to protect their hearts, but potentially to prevent cancer too.
This adds to growing evidence linking obesity to at least 12 types of cancer, including uterine, liver, and kidney cancers. Obese women, in particular, are also more likely to be diagnosed with larger and more advanced tumors, making early prevention and weight management even more crucial.