Table 1.

Summary of the key points of this review on cancer risk in heart failure

Key points

• In Western countries, cancer and heart failure (HF) are two of the most common diseases in an aging population and are responsible for most of the deaths. • These two conditions share numerous risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, and hyperglycemia. Furthermore, the link between HF and cancer involves many molecular pathways that characterize HF, suggesting that the presence of HF per se might be a risk factor for developing cancer. • It has been demonstrated that patients with HF have a higher incidence of cancer compared to the general population. Moreover, patients with HF and cancer have a poorer prognosis. • The management of HF patients who develop cancer is complex and requires a constant interplay between cardiologists and oncologists.