Global Study Links Alcohol and Smoking to Higher Rates of Breast Cancer and Irregular Heartbeat in Older Women

A new global analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that alcohol use and smoking are linked to higher rates of both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation (AFib) in women aged 55 and older. The study, which examined data from 204 countries and regions, found that in about 40% of these areas, rates of the two conditions were similar, with the highest risk concentrated in Western nations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Europe.

Researchers evaluated 58 shared and distinct risk factors, including smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, and physical activity, using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. After accounting for multiple variables, smoking and alcohol use emerged as key contributors. The analysis suggests that reducing alcohol intake and smoking could potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 15% and the risk of atrial fibrillation by about 12% worldwide. Specifically, alcohol use was found to contribute to 9.27% of breast cancer cases and 7.57% of atrial fibrillation cases.

The findings underscore the growing global health burden of both conditions. "Identifying shared risk factors is important for developing interventions that support optimal health, such as smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, which could potentially reduce the global incidence of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter substantially," said study co-author Shu Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Breast Disease Center at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing.

The study's spatial risk maps, which are the first to use machine learning to investigate global patterns, can help guide region-specific prevention strategies. "One of the most surprising aspects of our findings was how common both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter diagnoses were among women ages 55 and older in high-income regions, which highlights the influence of lifestyle," Wang said.

Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies. "Many of the same modifiable factors, including smoking, alcohol use, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity, contribute to both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease including atrial fibrillation/flutter, as confirmed by this study’s findings," Mehta said. She noted that the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 highlights key behaviors and health factors essential for prevention.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, builds on a 2018 Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association that identified shared risk factors between breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. According to the researchers, next steps include incorporating long-term research, genetic and metabolic data, and expanding the study to include socioeconomic factors to develop individualized prevention strategies.

For women in Texas and beyond, this research highlights the potential impact of lifestyle modifications on reducing the risk of both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation. As the study confirms, reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking are critical steps that can simultaneously lower the risk of these two serious conditions.