2026/09/23 14:19
If patients with heart failure experience unexplained weight loss, anemia, night sweats, or significantly worsened fatigue, they should tell their doctor to assess whether examination is needed; the picture is a situational photo, and the person in the picture has nothing to do with this article. (Picture taken from shutterstock)
[Reporter Luo Bi/Taipei Report] If a heart failure patient loses weight inexplicably, it must not be regarded as a change in heart condition. Guo Zhidong, an attending physician at the Cardiovascular Center of Cathay General Hospital, pointed out that multiple large-scale studies have found that the proportion of new cancers in patients with heart failure during the follow-up period is higher than that of the general population. If there is unexplained weight loss, anemia, loss of appetite or night sweats, the doctor should be informed to further clarify the cause.
Guo Zhidong said that in the past, when it came to heart failure, clinical focus mostly focused on dyspnea, edema, rehospitalization and death risk. However, in recent years, studies have successively observed the association between heart failure and cancer. The cancers mentioned in relevant studies include lung cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer, and blood tumors; in some studies, the association still exists after adjusting for factors such as age, smoking, diabetes, and obesity.
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However, Guo Zhidong emphasized that the observation of a higher rate of cancer does not mean that it has been proven that heart failure can directly cause cancer. Both diseases have risk factors such as advanced age, smoking, obesity, diabetes, lack of exercise, chronic kidney disease and unhealthy diet. As a result, if a heart failure patient also suffers from cancer, treatment may be more complicated, requiring both heart function and cancer treatment.
As to why the two might be related? Guo Zhidong said that patients with heart failure often have persistent low-grade inflammation, and the neurohormonal system, immune function and metabolic state of the body may also change. Changes in intestinal bacteria and intestinal barrier function are also the direction of research. These mechanisms may be related to tumorigenesis, but more research is needed to clarify whether heart failure directly increases the risk of cancer.
Guo Zhidong reminded that heart failure itself may make people feel tired and have poor appetite, so they should pay more attention to changes that are different from usual. If you have unexplained weight loss, develop anemia or night sweats, or experience significantly increased fatigue, you should tell your doctor to evaluate whether you need a test.
In terms of daily care, he recommends that patients receive appropriate cancer screenings based on age and personal risk, while also quitting smoking, controlling weight, maintaining physical activity, and managing blood sugar and blood lipids. If cancer has been diagnosed, some chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy may affect cardiac function, and relevant specialists should jointly evaluate the treatment and follow-up methods.
