Key result
Cancer patients show modestly higher CAC severity but similar CAC prevalence versus non-cancer controls.
Why the study?
CAD events contribute to morbidity in cancer survivors, but whether this reflects an increased atherosclerotic burden remains unclear.
Does a history of cancer increase the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcium in adult patients compared to non-cancer controls?
Does a history of cancer increase the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcium in adult patients compared to non-cancer controls?
Despite higher cardiovascular risk in cancer survivors, coronary artery calcium prevalence is not significantly increased compared to non-cancer controls, suggesting their elevated risk may be driven by non-calcified plaque, plaque vulnerability, or other mechanisms.
Authors
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Similar CAC prevalence does not explain excess CV risk in cancer survivors; challenges calcified plaque as primary driver and leaves open non-calcified mechanisms.
Wang et al. (2026) studied this question. Coronary artery calcium prevalence did not differ between cancer patients and non-cancer controls, but cancer patients had modestly higher CAC severity (Cohen’s d = 0.29).
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