Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Tied to Major Risk for Cancer

New research indicates that cancer prevention should be part of the treatment protocol for people with CKM syndrome. Sean Locke/Stocksy Researchers say people with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome have a higher risk of developing cancer. They note that the cancer risk rises as the severity of CKM syndrome increases, ranging from a 3% higher risk at stage 1 to a 30% higher risk at stage 4. Experts say people can lower their cancer risk by maintaining a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. People with a common metabolic health condition have as much as a 30% higher risk of cancer, a new study reports. Researchers say they have discovered that cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome not only causes higher risks for heart-related and kidney-related diseases but also increases the risks of cancer. In particular, the researchers noted that cancer risks rise along with the stages and severity of CKM syndrome. “These findings suggest that CKM staging may help identify individuals at increased cancer risk, supporting a more holistic approach to risk stratification beyond cardiovascular outcomes,” the researchers wrote. The results were recently published in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association (AHA). The researchers acknowledged that their research was an observational study, so they weren’t able to establish causality between CKM syndrome and cancer risk. Nonetheless, they said their findings are significant since it’s estimated that 90% of adults in the United States have at least some components of CKM syndrome. The researchers stated that cancer prevention should be part of the treatment protocol for people with CKM syndrome. “These findings extend the clinical relevance of the CKM framework beyond cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, underscoring the need for integrated risk assessment and prevention in multimorbid individuals,” the researchers wrote. Prioritizin