CVD Linked to Increased nonmelanoma skin cancer Risk via Obesity and Inflammation: Study

Researchers have found in a new study that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with a higher risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), with obesity and inflammation partially mediating this link. Managing weight and controlling inflammation may help reduce the prevalence of both cardiovascular disease and nonmelanoma skin cancer.Although the association between cardiovascular disease and various cancers has been extensively studied, its relationship with nonmelanoma skin cancer remains ambiguous. Previous studies have shown that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an independent risk factor for tumorigenesis. However, the relationship between cardiovascular disease and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential relationship between cardiovascular disease and nonmelanoma skin cancer and whether obesity and inflammation mediate the association.7424 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2018 were included. Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and nonmelanoma skin cancer was determined by questionnaire combined with self-reported. Inflammatory markers and obesity indices assessed were SIRI, SII, BMI, and WWI. Logistic regression and Pearson correlation analyses were applied to investigate the relationship between the above key variables.Logistic regression results showed that cardiovascular disease was a risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.01 ~ 3.34, p = 0.048); however, there was no statistically significant association between cardiovascular disease subgroups and nonmelanoma skin cancer. In addition, SIRI, BMI, and WWI partially mediated the association between cardiovascular disease and nonmelanoma skin cancer(p < .001), but SII did not alter the relationship (p > 0.05). Bootstrap test confirmed the stability of the results of the mediation analysis.Cardiovascular disease increases the risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer, and obesity and inflammation partially mediate the relationship. Weight loss and control of inflammation may be beneficial in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and nonmelanoma skin cancer.Reference:Zhang X, Gao Z, Miao Y, Wu X-G (2026) Association between cardiovascular disease and non-melanoma skin cancer: The mediation effect of obesity and inflammation. PLoS One 21(3): e0343992. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0343992Keywords:CVD, Linked, Increased, nonmelanoma, skin cancer, Risk, Obesity, Inflammation, Study, Zhang X, Gao Z, Miao Y, Wu X-G