Is Endocarditis a General Marker for Cancer?

In a Danish population-based study, the overall risk for cancer was increased eightfold within 3 months of endocarditis diagnosis and remained elevated 5 years later.

Endocarditis may be a marker for malignancy through several mechanisms — the best known being the association of certain bacteremias with occult colorectal cancer. To examine this possibility more thoroughly, epidemiologists used data from the Danish National Patient Register and the Danish Cancer Registry to identify patients with an initial diagnosis of endocarditis and a subsequent diagnosis of cancer.

From 1978 through 2008, 8445 patients had a first diagnosis of endocarditis. A total of 997 cancers were diagnosed in these patients during a median follow-up of 3.5 years — a 61% increase above what was expected. The risk for cancer was highly elevated during the first 3 months after the diagnosis of endocarditis (standardized incidence ra…

Reviewing Author

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)