Risk factors associated with cardiovascular mortality among gastric cancer patients: a population-based analysis

Cardiovascular mortality is the most common non-cancer cause of death in gastric cancer patients. The study found gastric cancer patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease death and identified some risk factors. Background Cancer patients were found at a high risk of death from cardiovascular disease. This study aims to assess cardiovascular mortality risk and identify the potential risk factors associated with cardiovascular mortality among gastric cancer patients. Methods Gastric cancer patients were collected from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database during 1975-2016. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated to compare cardiovascular mortality rates between gastric cancer patients and the general US population. Univariable Cox analysis and multivariable stepwise Cox analysis were adopted to identify the potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease death after gastric cancer diagnosis. Results There were 10 886 cardiovascular disease deaths identified among 165 433 individuals with gastric cancer observed for 410207.20 person-years. Gastric cancer patients were at a higher cardiovascular disease mortality risk (standardized mortality ratio = 3.35, 95% confidence interval: 3.24-3.47, P < 0.05). The study showed that older age at diagnosis (>80 years vs. 0-69 years, hazard ratio = 7.05, 95% confidence interval: 6.66-7.46, P < 0.001; 70-80 years vs. 0-69 years, hazard ratio = 3.35, 95% confidence interval: 3.19-3.53, P < 0.001), male sex (vs. female, hazard ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.33-1.45, P < 0.001), black race (vs. white, hazard ratio = 1.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.24-1.38, P < 0.001), without a partner (divorced/separated vs. married/partnered, hazard ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.25-1.45, P < 0.001; single vs. married/partnered, hazard ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.29, P < 0.001; widowed vs. married/partnered, hazard ratio = 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.34-1.48, P < 0.001), living in the northern plains (vs. pacific coast, hazard ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.16-1.29, P < 0.001) and surgery not performed (vs. performed, hazard ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval: 1.61-1.79, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease death. Compared with patients with localized stage, distant staged patients were less likely to die of cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.94, P < 0.001). Conclusions Gastric cancer patients were at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease death. Older age at diagnosis, male sex, black race, without a partner, living in the northern plains and surgery not performed were significantly associated with cardiovascular disease death after gastric cancer diagnosis.