A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that alcohol consumption and smoking are significant shared risk factors for both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter in women aged 55 and older across many regions of the world. The analysis, which examined data from 204 countries and territories, found that in about 39% of these regions, the rates of both conditions were similarly elevated, particularly in Western nations.
Researchers utilized the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database to investigate the incidence of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter, evaluating exposure to 58 risk factors. After accounting for multiple variables, smoking and alcohol use emerged as key contributors. The study estimated that reducing alcohol intake and smoking could potentially decrease the risk of breast cancer by about 15% and atrial fibrillation/flutter by about 12% worldwide.
“Identifying shared risk factors is important for developing interventions that support optimal health, such as smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, which could potentially reduce the global incidence of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter substantially,” said study co-author Shu Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Breast Disease Center at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing.
The analysis highlighted that high-income and developed nations, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Europe, exhibited elevated rates of both conditions. This aligns with previous research linking Western diets and sedentary lifestyles to increased risks of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions and cancer. The study also created spatial risk maps to guide region-specific prevention strategies.
“One of the most surprising aspects of our findings was how common both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter diagnoses were among women ages 55 and older in high-income regions, which highlights the influence of lifestyle,” Wang said. “This is the first study combining global data with machine learning to show the relationship between the conditions, their location across the world and the shared risk factors of these two conditions.”
Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, who was not involved in the study, noted, “Many of the same modifiable factors, including smoking, alcohol use, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity, contribute to both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease including atrial fibrillation/flutter, as confirmed by this study’s findings. This overlap underscores the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
The study's limitations include its reliance on country-level data, which lacks individual-level information and cannot prove direct cause and effect. However, the researchers believe the findings provide precise targets for future research and region-specific prevention. The next steps will involve incorporating long-term research, genetic and metabolic data, and expanding the study to include socioeconomic factors.
For more information on reducing cardiovascular risk, the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 highlights key behaviors and health factors essential for prevention. Additional resources on atrial fibrillation are available at the American Heart Association’s website.
