Key result
Lung cancer is linked to ~46% higher prevalence of multiple CKM comorbidities versus breast cancer.
Why the study?
Cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic diseases impact cancer treatment tolerance and outcomes, but their comorbidity burden at breast and lung cancer diagnosis needed characterization.
Observational (n=408,465)
Yes
Cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic comorbidities are highly prevalent among older adults with breast and lung cancer, highlighting the need for targeted cardiometabolic strategies alongside cancer care.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Higher CKM burden in lung vs breast cancer warrants attention in older adults; leaves open effects on treatment tolerance and outcomes.
e23081 Background: Cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic (CKM) diseases impact cancer treatment tolerance and outcomes. We sought to detail CKM comorbidity burden at the time of breast cancer and lung cancer diagnosis among a representative sample of older adults in the United States. Methods: Using the SEER–Medicare linked database, we identified adults ≥ 65 years diagnosed with breast or lung cancer between 2010 and 2019 with Medicare A and B coverage in the year prior to cancer diagnosis. CKM conditions were identified using the CMS Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse, defined from ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes from Medicare claims. CKM comorbidity burden was compared by age, sex, race, and Medicaid dual eligibility. Results: Among 129,047 lung cancer patients (mean age 74.7, 50.2% women, 10.2% black, 5.1% Asian), individual CKM conditions were highly prevalent, including ischemic heart disease (39.1%), heart failure (21.5%), diabetes (29.6%), and chronic kidney disease (23.2%). Among 279,418 breast cancer patients (mean age 73.2, 99.1% women, 11.3% black, 4.6% Asian), ischemic heart disease (27.4%), heart failure (14.7%), diabetes (26.1%), and chronic kidney disease (12.5%) were also common. Overall, CKM burden was greater in lung versus breast cancer, with higher prevalence of ≥1 (68.3% vs 61.2%), ≥2 (52.6% vs 42.0%), and ≥3 CKM comorbidities (38.1% vs 26.1%), and higher mean Charlson comorbidity index (2.03±2.04 vs 0.95±1.44). In both cancer types, CKM burden increased with age, with notable racial and socioeconomic differences. Among breast cancer patients, multi-comorbidity (≥3 CKM conditions) varied by self-identified race (21% of Asian, 35% of black, and 25% of white patients), with similar findings in lung cancer. Medicaid dual-eligible patients had a higher prevalence of ≥3 CKM comorbidities than non-dual-eligible patients in breast (43.7% vs 22.3%) and lung cancer (48.6% vs 35.0%). Conclusions: CKM comorbidity burden is highly prevalent among older adults with breast and lung cancer, with disparities by race and Medicaid dual-eligibility. Early targeted strategies addressing cardiometabolic disease alongside cancer care at diagnosis may help improve patient outcomes.
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Mantilla et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Breast and lung cancer (n=408,465). Lung cancer vs. Breast cancer was evaluated on Prevalence of ≥3 CKM comorbidities. Lung cancer was associated with a higher burden of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic comorbidities compared to breast cancer, including a higher prevalence of ≥3 conditions (38.1% vs 26.1%).
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