Impact of Pre-Existing Cardiovascular Disease on Treatment Patterns and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Lung Cancer

Background: Baseline cardiovascular disease can impact the patterns of treatment and hence the outcomes of patients with lung cancer. This study aimed to characterize treatment trends and survival outcomes of patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease prior to their diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study of patients with lung cancer diagnosed from 2004 to 2015in a large Canadian province. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression models were constructed to determine the associations between cardiovascular disease and treatment patterns, and its impact on overall and cancer-specific survival, respectively. Results: A total of 20,689 patients with lung cancer were eligible for the current analysis. Men comprised 55%, and the median age at diagnosis was 70 years. One-third had at least one cardiovascular disease, with the most common being congestive heart failure in 15% of patients. Pre-existing cardiovascular disease was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving chemotherapy (odds ratio [OR],0.53;95% confidence interval [CI],0.48-0.58;P < .0001), radiotherapy (OR,0.76;95% CI,0.7-0.82;P < .0001), and surgery (OR, 056; 95% CI,0.44-0.7;P < .0001). Adjusting for measured confounders, the presence of pre-existing cardiovascular disease predicted for inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.1; 95% CI, 1.1-1.2; P < .0001) and CSS (HR,1.1; 95% CI, 1.1-1.1; P < .0001). Conclusions: Patients with lung cancer and pre-existing cardiovascular disease are less likely to receive any modality of cancer treatment and have poor OS and CSS. As effective therapies such as immuno-oncology drugs are introduced, early cardio-oncology consultation may optimize management and outcomes of lung cancer.