Title: Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors among Colorectal Cancer Patients
Abstract: In the United States (US), colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are another leading cause of death in the US; approximately one in three deaths is attributable to CVD. Among CRC patients, cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of non-cancer-related deaths among CRC patients. Due to improvements in treatment, CRC patients may have their survival impacted by non-cancer-related comorbidities. Hence, there is a need for synergistic prevention strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality from both diseases. While there has been established literature about the increased risk of cardiotoxicity (damage to the cardiovascular system due to cancer treatment) and CVD in specific types of cancer, such as breast cancer patients, this association among CRC patients has been understudied. Specifically, the impact of the coexistence of a diagnosis of CVD and CRC on survivorship among CRC patients has not been fully elucidated. The long-term goal of my dissertation proposal is to provide evidence on how CVD influences CRC survivorship.
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relations between cardiovascular conditions and mortality outcomes in CRC survivors. My dissertation project aims to (1) quantify the burden of cardiovascular conditions, including risk factors at diagnosis, among colorectal cancer survivors, (2) quantify the burden of cardiovascular conditions, including risk factors after CRC diagnosis, and their influence on mortality outcomes, and (3) evaluate the association between measures of inflammation/ oxidative stress and mortality after CRC diagnosis. This project will use two secondary data sources to achieve the aim of this study: The Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), a prospective cohort, and the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center electronic medical records.
This project is currently at the proposal development stage.
