Occasional positive cancer screenings may significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, findings from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial indicate. The study reveals intriguing insights, challenging previous perceptions about the impact of positive screening results on heart health.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are two of the leading causes of mortality globally, with shared risk factors contributing to multimorbidity. Positive screening results have traditionally been associated with increased psychological stress and, potentially, elevated risks of CVD mortality. Yet, this latest research suggests a more nuanced relationship.
Analyzing data from over 149,000 trial participants, researchers found notable trends during long-term follow-up. Occasional positive screenings were associated with decreased CVD mortality risks, particularly among individuals without prior cardiovascular history. According to the authors, "a significantly decreased risk of CVD mortality was observed for individuals with occasional positive screening (≤ 2 positive screens) [adjusted hazard ratio (HR, 95%CIs): 0.931 (0.897–0.968), P < 0.001] compared to the control arm."
Flexible sigmoidoscopy and transvaginal ultrasound testing yielded even more pronounced reductions in risk, with HR values of 0.842 and 0.855, respectively. Notably, when screenings escalated beyond two positive results, the risk of cardiovascular mortality observed through traditional measures became non-significant, highlighting the importance of moderation.
Historical data shows psychological stress as often resulting from alarming screening outcomes. The immediate emotional impact of receiving potential bad news can lead to detrimental health behaviors or increased anxiety, exacerbated for individuals previously affected by cardiovascular events.
The findings draw attention not only to the emotional responses triggered by positive screens but also to potential lifestyle adjustments. Beyond just surviving their cancer, participants reporting up to two positive screens were more inclined to adopt health-conscious behaviors, like reducing their body mass index (BMI) and quitting smoking. Indeed, lower proportions of individuals had seen BMI reductions of over 48%. Researchers observed this trend reflected positively against sedentary health behaviors observed among the control group, hinting at causal links to positive screening results.
Explaining these associations, the study suggests occasional positive screens act as effective ‘teachable moments,’ promoting health-conscious behavior. The verse applies especially to subsets like smokers engaged with cancer screenings, who tended to see higher quitting rates when screening results indicated possible health concerns.
Importantly, these relationships seem stronger among those lacking pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, where the data reveals nearly 10% greater reductions of CVD mortality from occasional positive screenings. The authors conclude, "the decreased risk of CVD mortality was more pronounced among participants without previous CVD history."
The study's findings signal a necessary shift in how health practitioners approach cancer screenings. By fostering wellness and mitigating risk factors for both cancer and cardiovascular disease concurrently, healthcare providers might leverage screening data to improve overall health outcomes.
This multifaceted approach to care is especially pertinent as global populations continue to grapple with the twin challenges of increasing cancer incidences alongside rising cardiovascular risk factors.
While these results shed light on the interplay between cancer screenings and cardiovascular mortality, they also call for extensive additional studies to corroborate these findings and propose general advises and best practices across the medical field. "Further research with more refined study designs is necessary to validate these findings," the researchers write, advocating for innovative methodologies to comprehensively examine the beneficial impact of screenings on representing public health strategies.