INTRODUCTION
The burden of cancer and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains significant in
the United States. While cancer mortality has declined over the past
three decades, projections estimate over two million new cancer cases
and approximately 600,000 associated deaths in 2024, alongside a rising
AF prevalence expected to affect 12.1 million Americans by
2030.1,2 A bidirectional relationship exists between
these conditions, with cancer patients experiencing a heightened risk of
AF due to factors such as pro-inflammatory immune activation,
post-surgical inflammatory responses, and cardiotoxic effects of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy.3 Studies suggest a 47%
increased AF risk in cancer patients overall and a 20% increased risk
in those not actively undergoing cancer treatment.4,5Conversely, AF may elevate cancer risk by disrupting apoptosis,
potentially favoring carcinogenesis. The co-occurrence of AF and cancer
compounds mortality risk, increasing the likelihood of thromboembolism
and a six-fold increased risk of heart failure.6Despite well-documented independent mortality trends for cancer and AF,
mortality trends in individuals with concomitant diagnoses are lacking.
To address this gap, we analyzed Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC
WONDER) dataset to evaluate trends in cancer- and AF-related mortality
over the past two decades, stratified by gender and race/ethnicity.