Roundup: Genetic Heart Defects Linked to Higher Cancer Risk Later in Life; and More News

Babies Born with Heart Defects, and Their Moms, Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

Babies born with heart defects carry an increased risk of developing cancer within the first decade of life, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation.

Additionally, the study suggests that mothers of these children may also be at a heightened risk of cancer, potentially advancing investigations into the links between congenital heart defects and cancer.

In a news release, June Huh, M.D., a professor of cardiology at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul and lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of understanding how maternal factors and genetic traits may influence the health outcomes of both mothers and children.

"Our research highlights the importance of maternal factors and genetic traits and understanding how they may be connected," stated Dr. Huh. "The genetic variants inherited from the mother may provide the necessary environment for cancer to develop in congenital heart defect patients, highlighting a possible shared genetic pathway underlying both conditions.”

Heart defects are the most common type of birth defect in the United States, affecting 12 out of every 1,000 live births, according to the American Heart Association. These defects range from structural abnormalities, such as openings between the heart's chambers, to severe malformations like the absence of heart chambers or valves.

Thanks to advances in medical care, many children born with heart defects are now living longer lives. However, research has raised concerns about their increased vulnerability to other health issues, particularly cancer.

The study analyzed health data from over 3.5 million live births in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2005 and 2019. The newborns, along with their mothers, were tracked for a median period of 10 years. The findings: children born with heart abnormalities had a 66 percent higher incidence of cancer compared to those without heart defects. The risk was even greater for children with certain types of heart defects. For instance, babies with defects involving blood vessels or heart valves had more than double the cancer risk, as did those with complex heart defects.

Leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma were the most common cancers diagnosed in both groups of children, regardless of whether they had heart defects. Researchers also discovered that mothers of children with heart defects were 17 percent more likely to develop cancer within the following decade compared to mothers of children without heart abnormalities.

The study’s authors say the findings highlight the need for ongoing medical care and monitoring for children born with heart defects. The potential genetic links between congenital heart defects and cancer remain a critical area for future studies.

Moving More, Sitting Less Key to Reducing Risks for Cancer Survivors

New research highlights the significant benefits of daily physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior for older women with a history of cancer. The study suggests that cancer survivors who take more steps and spend less time sitting may lower their risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.

The study, which followed 2,479 postmenopausal women with an average age of 74 over eight years, was presented at the American Heart Association's (AHA) Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Session. The research participants, half of whom had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer and the rest with other cancers, wore accelerometers to measure their activity levels and sedentary time.

The biggest benefits were seen in women who engaged in at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, such as brisk walking or biking. These participants experienced a 60 percent reduction in the risk of death from heart disease and stroke, and a 40 percent reduction in the risk of death from any cause. When measured by steps, the study found that 5,000 to 6,000 steps per day offered the most benefit, leading to a 40 percent reduction in mortality risk.

Even participants who walked fewer than 5,000 steps per day still saw a reduction in their risk, which underscores that every bit of movement helps. The study also highlighted the dangers of prolonged sitting. Women who sat for more than 102 minutes per day had a 30 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 12 percent higher risk of death from any cause.

"Encouraging cancer survivors to be more active, sit less, and take more steps every day could be a feasible approach for prolonging survivorship and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality," said Eric Hyde, M.D., research analyst from the University of California, San Diego, the study’s lead author, in a news release.

The AHA and federal guidelines recommend adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. The study findings suggest that even moderate amounts of physical activity—well below these recommended guidelines—can significantly lower health risks for cancer survivors.

Sedentary behaviors, such as sitting for extended periods, are increasingly recognized as a major health threat, particularly for cancer survivors, who may experience lingering effects from treatment.

While these results are promising, researchers acknowledge the limitations of the study, including the lack of detailed information on cancer stages and the fact that physical activity was measured only once after a cancer diagnosis. Future studies will need to assess physical activity at different stages of cancer treatment to better understand the full impact on survival.

Long-Term Brain Changes in College Athletes After Concussion, Study Finds

New research has found that college athletes who suffer concussions may experience lingering changes in their brain health that can be detected for up to a year after they are cleared to return to play. This finding raises new concerns about the long-term impact of concussions, especially in athletes who appear to recover quickly from symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and balance issues.

The study, led by Nathan Churchill, Ph.D., of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, followed 187 college athletes over a period of more than a year. Of these, 25 athletes experienced concussions during their sports seasons. The athletes, who participated in sports such as football, basketball, hockey, and soccer, were monitored with multiple brain scans to track changes in their brain health before and after their injuries.

The study's findings, published on Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found that even after athletes were cleared to return to their sports, their brain scans still showed significant signs of injury. Researchers used advanced brain imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to measure brain activity, blood flow, and changes in white matter, which are key indicators of brain health.

One of the most striking discoveries was the reduced blood flow in the brains of athletes who had suffered concussions. Specifically, when compared to their pre-injury scans, concussed athletes exhibited a decrease in blood flow to the fronto-insular cortex, a part of the brain involved in functions such as memory, emotion, and decision-making.

In addition to blood flow changes, the study also examined how water molecules move within the brain's white matter, another important indicator of brain health. The results revealed that the concussed athletes' brains continued to show signs of injury, with abnormalities in the way water moved in the brain's white matter, even a year after returning to play.

Dr. Churchill, the study’s lead author, noted in a news release that these findings underscore the need for more awareness of the potential for long-term brain injury in athletes, particularly those who are cleared to return to sports despite lingering changes in brain function. "Our results suggest that brain recovery may take much longer than we currently understand," he said. "Athletes may appear symptom-free, but their brains may still be recovering."

The researchers call for more studies involving larger groups of athletes and individuals from different age groups to better understand the full scope of concussion-related brain changes.