Cancer survivors include anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer, from those newly diagnosed to people who have lived for years or even decades after treatment. Early detection strategies have helped more people survive cancer and live longer after their diagnosis. New treatments have also made it possible for more survivors to enjoy long and healthy lives.
In January, the American Cancer Society (ACS) shared an important milestone: 70% of cancer survivors now live at least five years after their diagnosis. This means that 7 out of 10 people diagnosed with cancer in the United States are still alive five years later. As more people survive cancer, researchers are working to find better ways to support survivors, improve their quality of life, and help them live even longer.
A recent study published in Cancer Medicine found that the way breast cancer survivors manage high blood pressure, which is common among them, can affect how long they live. The study looked at 1,332 women with metastatic breast cancer, which means the cancer had spread to other parts of the body. Researchers checked if these women used blood pressure medication and grouped them by whether they took one type of drug or several types.
The analysis revealed that almost half (48.4%) of patients with metastatic breast cancer also had hypertension (high blood pressure). The rate of hypertension among metastatic breast cancer survivors in the study differed among racial groups, with Black women having the highest percentage of the comorbidity, with 64.6%.
The researchers found that 52.9% of the women in the study used antihypertensive medication to manage their blood pressure, including 20.3% on monotherapy and 32.5% on phototherapeutic approaches. The metastatic breast cancer survivors using polytherapy to manage their blood pressure exhibited a significantly lower rate of mortality, and the risk of dying among these women was 38% lower than that of those using a single drug class of antihypertensives.
Nearly half of women with metastatic breast cancer also have high blood pressure, and using several types of blood pressure medicine was linked to longer survival. The study also found differences in survival and blood pressure management across racial groups, underscoring the need for more research to help all patients live longer.
Sources: ACS, Cancer Med
