A new, independent study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association has found that alcohol use and smoking are significant shared risk factors for breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter in women aged 55 and older across multiple regions worldwide. The research, which analyzed data from 204 countries and territories, suggests that reducing these modifiable behaviors could substantially lower the global incidence of both conditions.
The study, led by researchers at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing, evaluated the rates of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation (AFib) in older women and examined exposure to 58 health, behavioral, and lifestyle risk factors. Using machine learning, the team identified that in about 40% of the countries evaluated, the rates of both conditions were similar, with the highest-risk zones in Western nations such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Europe.
“Identifying shared risk factors is important for developing interventions that support optimal health, such as smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, which could potentially reduce the global incidence of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter substantially,” said study co-author Shu Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Breast Disease Center at Peking University People’s Hospital.
The analysis revealed that smoking and alcohol use were linked to higher rates of both breast cancer and AFib. An additional analysis found that reducing alcohol intake and smoking could potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 15% and the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter by about 12% worldwide. Alcohol use alone contributed to 9.27% of breast cancer cases and 7.57% of AFib cases.
“One of the most surprising aspects of our findings was how common both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter diagnoses were among women ages 55 and older in high-income regions, which highlights the influence of lifestyle,” Wang said. “This is the first study combining global data with machine learning to show the relationship between the conditions, their location across the world and the shared risk factors of these two conditions.”
The study authors noted that the number of breast cancer and AFib cases represents a growing global health burden. High-income and developed nations exhibited elevated rates of both conditions, aligning with previous research linking Western diets and sedentary lifestyles to increased risks of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions and cancer.
“Nowadays, more and more people are paying attention to the link between cancer and cardiovascular health,” said study co-authors Zeye Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and Yi Shi, M.D., Ph.D., both surgeons at Peking University People’s Hospital. “Breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter rise together across many regions of the world and share the same modifiable risk factors. From a cardiovascular perspective, this means that reducing smoking and alcohol use could help lower the risk of both conditions at the same time.”
Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, who was not involved in the study, commented: “Many of the same modifiable factors, including smoking, alcohol use, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity, contribute to both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease including atrial fibrillation/flutter, as confirmed by this study’s findings. This overlap underscores the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
The study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database and focused on women 55 years and older. The researchers created worldwide spatial risk maps to guide region-specific prevention strategies. However, the study has limitations, including reliance on country-level data and the inability to prove direct cause and effect.
The American Heart Association has previously identified that breast cancer and cardiovascular disease share common risk factors, as outlined in a 2018 Scientific Statement. The Association’s Life’s Essential 8 highlights key behaviors and health factors essential for prevention and reducing risk.
