Key result
Ovarian cancer linked to ~33% higher MACE risk, particularly in patients under 55.
Why the study?
The association between ovarian cancer and the subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease was not well established.
Does ovarian cancer increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in women undergoing bilateral oophorectomy compared to non-cancer controls?
Cohort (n=3,432)
Does ovarian cancer increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in women undergoing bilateral oophorectomy compared to non-cancer controls?
Hazard Ratio: 1.33 (95% CI 1.14–1.56)
Absolute Event Rate: 24.8% vs 18.6%
Ovarian cancer is associated with a 33% increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events following bilateral oophorectomy, with the highest relative risk observed in women under 55 years of age.
May support closer CV monitoring after ovarian cancer; leaves open whether interventions reduce MACE risk.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between ovarian cancer and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used deidentified claims data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse with linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. Female patients aged ≥18 with ovarian cancer (2010-2021) who underwent bilateral oophorectomy were propensity score-matched to non-cancer controls who had bilateral oophorectomy for benign indications based on age, cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and oophorectomy year. Outcome measure was incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of angina, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, transient ischemic attack, cardiac arrest, or cardiovascular procedures. Time to first MACE was compared between ovarian cancer and non-cancer patients using Gray's tests and Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard models accounting for death as a competing risk. RESULTS: A total of 1148 ovarian cancer patients were matched to 2284 non-cancer controls. Median (interquartile range) follow-up was 29 (13-54) months for ovarian cancer patients and 40 (17-70) months for controls. One-, two-, three-, and five-year MACE risks were higher in ovarian cancer patients (7.7%, 12.0%, 17.1%, 24.8%) compared to controls (5.3%, 9.1%, 12.9%, 18.6%). Ovarian cancer was associated with increased MACE risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.56), with a more pronounced association in patients <55 years (HR 1.95, 95% CI 1.01-3.58) than ≥55 years (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.53). CONCLUSION: Ovarian cancer is associated with increased CVD risk, particularly among younger patients, calling for mechanistic studies elucidating this relationship.
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AlAshqar et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Ovarian cancer (n=3,432). Ovarian cancer vs. Non-cancer controls who had bilateral oophorectomy for benign indications was evaluated on Incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of angina, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, transient ischemic attack, cardiac arrest, or cardiovascular procedures (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.14-1.56). Ovarian cancer was associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to non-cancer controls (HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.14-1.56), particularly in patients <55 years.
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