Cardiovascular conditions and obesity among gynecologic cancer survivors: Results from the 2020 behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey

Background: With the increasing prevalence of gynecologic cancer and obesity, there is a growing population living with cardiovascular disease, obesity and gynecologic cancer concurrently or at risk of developing these disease states.

Methods: We examined cardiovascular (CV) conditions and obesity among 1824 gynecologic cancer survivors in a cross-sectional analysis, using data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression methods were used in the analysis.

Results: The prevalence of heart attack, CHD, and stroke were significantly higher (p < 0.001) among survivors of gynecologic and other cancer survivors compared to women with no history of cancer. However, no statistically significant differences were observed across gynecologic and other cancer survivors. The prevalence of obesity among gynecologic cancer survivors was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that in the other two groups. While around one-third of the women with no history of cancer and survivors of other types of cancer were obese, obesity prevalence was nearly 13%-points higher among survivors of gynecologic cancer. In multivariate analysis, gynecologic cancer survivors were 2.7 times more likely to have a heart attack compared to those without any history of cancer. The odds of CHD and stroke among survivors of gynecologic cancer were respectively 3.4 and 2.7 times that of those with no history of cancer. The adjusted odds were also similar, though smaller in magnitude. Gynecologic cancer survivors were also more likely to be obese -1.8 times that of those with no cancer.

Conclusions: Gynecologic cancer survivors are more likely than persons without a cancer history to have cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses, and they have a higher prevalence of heart attack, stroke, and obesity. These results underscore the sizeable opportunities for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of cardiovascular health conditions among gynecologic cancer survivors.