A new global analysis published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that breast cancer and atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or irregular heartbeat, may share common risk factors, particularly alcohol use and smoking, among women aged 55 and older. The study, which evaluated data from 204 countries and regions, found that in about 40% of these areas, the rates of both conditions were similar, with the highest risk zones in Western nations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of Europe.
The research, led by scientists at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing, is the first to combine global data with machine learning to examine the relationship between breast cancer and atrial fibrillation. The findings suggest that reducing alcohol intake and smoking could potentially lower the risk of breast cancer by about 15% and the risk of atrial fibrillation by about 12% worldwide. Alcohol use alone was found to contribute to 9.27% of breast cancer cases and 7.57% of atrial fibrillation cases.
“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 study analyzed 58 health, behavioral and lifestyle risk factors, including smoking, alcohol use, body mass index and physical activity. Among the 202 countries and territories evaluated, 80 had similar rates of both conditions, while 65 were breast cancer-dominant and 57 were atrial fibrillation-dominant. After accounting for multiple variables, smoking and alcohol use were consistently linked to higher rates of both diseases.
High-income and developed nations exhibited elevated rates of both breast cancer and AFib, aligning with previous research linking Western diets and sedentary lifestyles to increased risks. “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.
The study also created spatial risk maps to guide region-specific prevention strategies. Researchers emphasized that the findings underscore the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies to reduce the risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer. Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, who was not involved in the study, noted, “This overlap underscores the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 highlights key behaviors and health factors essential for prevention and reducing risk.”
Study limitations include that it used a large global database with broad healthcare information by country, lacking individual-level data, and the findings cannot prove direct cause and effect. However, the researchers believe the results provide precise targets for future research and public health interventions. The next steps will involve incorporating long-term research, genetic and metabolic data, as well as socioeconomic factors to develop individualized and region-specific prevention strategies.
