Comment: Healthy lifestyle and heart monitoring is the key to lowering cancer mortality rate

Fletchers Solicitor’s Senior Litigation Executive Michael Carson believes the monitoring of circulatory problems alongside a healthy lifestyle will eventually reduce the cancer mortality rate. According to a new study, more than one in 10 cancer patients die as a result of heart and blood vessel complications.

Published by the European Heart Journal the study surveyed nearly 30 different cancers over the last 40 years.

Michael told Fletchers:

It has recently been reported that cancer survivors appear to be at higher risk of dying from heart or circulatory problems.

In a recent study which followed 3.23 million cancer patient, 38% died from cancer, but 11% died from cardiovascular diseases.

It is not clear whether this is because of the vital treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or whether it is due to the similar risks that can cause both diseases, such as an unhealthy lifestyle and smoking.

However, now that this study has shone a light on the increased risk, the good news is that cancer survivors can be monitored for heart and circulatory problems.

Moreover, this will hopefully mean patients can receive prompt treatment and bring down the mortality rate even more.

Increasing cancer awareness can influence a healthier lifestyle

Dr Nicholas Zaorsky from Penn State Cancer Institute led the study’s research.

Key takeouts from the study

• 3.23 million cancer patients studied
• 38% died from cancer
• 11% died from cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
• 3/4 of CVD deaths from heart disease

For more information on the subject, go to: academic.oup.com/eurheartj