Investigators have examined the impact of air pollution on cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Although recent advancements in cancer therapies have led to extended survival, they can also result in chronic health issues, such as cardiovascular disease.
In a systematic review, published in JACC: CardioOncology, the investigators conducted a comprehensive literature search from 2000 to 2023 to identify eight studies exploring epidemiologic and preclinical evidence linking air pollution to cardio-oncology outcomes—focusing on health disparities and environmental issues. The key pollutants they analyzed were particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or less (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, and nitrogen dioxide.
The investigators demonstrated consistent associations between PM2.5 exposure and increased cardiovascular mortality among patients with cancer, with hazard ratios ranging from 1.17 to 1.44 per 10 μg/m³ increase in PM2.5. Further, the patients with cancer who received chemotherapy or radiation therapy exhibited higher risks of cardiopulmonary death when exposed to PM2.5. The patients with cardiovascular disease exposed to air pollution—particularly traffic-related air pollution—demonstrated elevated risks of cancer incidence.
The investigators also revealed that short-term exposure to high pollution levels could rapidly affect the cardiovascular health of patients with cancer. Furthermore, compared with the rates in high-income countries, PM2.5-associated mortality rates were 100-fold higher in low- and middle-income countries.
The investigators emphasized that inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic remodeling were the key pathways through which air pollution influenced cardiovascular disease and cancer, leading to increased vulnerability in patients with cancer—particularly those undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
No relevant conflicts of interest were reported.