Cardiooncology. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1186/s40959-025-00414-6. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors (CSs) are at increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), potentially due to cancer-related inflammation and treatment effects. While inflammation has been implicated in both cancer and AF, the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and AF risk in CSs remains unclear.
METHODS: We analyzed data from 19,677 UK Biobank participants (mean age 60; 34.2% male) with a prior cancer diagnosis. Incident AF was evaluated using competing-risk Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors.
RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 10.4 years, 836 CSs (4.2%) developed AF. Competing risk analysis revealed that the significant association between elevated CRP (> 2 mg/L) and AF risk in CSs, observed in models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.37; P = 0.005), progressively attenuated with further adjustment for lifestyle factors (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.31; P = 0.076). Despite losing statistical significance in the fully adjusted model, a consistent, suggestive trend was observed. This association was particularly pronounced in individuals not receiving radiotherapy.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that systemic inflammation is associated with an increased risk of AF among CSs, particularly in individuals without a history of radiotherapy. Further studies are needed to explore underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications.
PMID:41387931 | DOI:10.1186/s40959-025-00414-6
