Background: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a cardiac biomarker associated with the risk of heart failure and death in the general population but has not been explored in cancer survivors.
Methods: Using a US nationally representative sample of adults ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004, this study compared NT-proBNP levels between non-cancer adults (n = 12574) and cancer survivors (n = 787) and examined the association of NT-proBNP with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among cancer survivors.
Results: Cancer survivors had higher NT-proBNP levels than non-cancer adults (median: 125.4 [IQR, 52.4 to 286.0] vs 43.2 [IQR, 20.3-95.0]). In particular, survivors of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers had higher NT-proBNP levels than non-cancer adults (multivariable-adjusted P<.05). 471 survivors died (cancer: 141; cardiac disease: 95) during a median follow-up of 13.4 years (9,393 person-years). Among cancer survivors, higher NT-proBNP levels were statistically associated with increased risks of all-cause (HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.18-1.46]) and cardiac (HR, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.21-2.00) mortality but not with death due to cancer (HR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.92-1.32]). Higher NT-proBNP levels were associated with elevated overall mortality in survivors of prostate (HR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.17-1.79]) and colorectal (HR, 1.78 [95% 1.12-2.85]) cancers (P-interaction = 0.169). Non-linear dose-response relationships were observed between NT-proBNP and mortality, with statistically significant relationships emerging above 125 pg/ml.
Conclusions: Cancer survivors had higher NT-proBNP than non-cancer adults, and elevated NT-proBNP levels were associated with higher risks of all-cause and cardiac mortality in cancer survivors.
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