Research highlights:
- Newborns with congenital heart defects may be at a higher risk of developing childhood cancer compared to children born without heart abnormalities.
- Congenital heart failure in newborns can also indicate an increased risk of cancer in the mother.
- Researchers propose an interdisciplinary team of medical professionals to care for newborns with congenital heart disorders and their mothers.
No Monday, March 17th, 2025 until 4am/5am
Dallas, March 17, 2025 – Born with heart defects can be linked to an increased risk of cancer in babies and their mothers, according to a new study published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship journalcirculation.
According to the American Heart Association, the most common birth defects in the United States are Congenital heart defects (CHD). They range from structural abnormalities such as openings between the heart chambers to severe malformations such as the absence of a cardiac ventricle or valve. In the United States, approximately 12 infants have congenital heart disorders at 1,000 births, according to the association. 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics. While numerous medical advances have allowed children with heart defects to survive longer than before, some studies suggest that they may be at a higher risk of developing other conditions, including cancer.
The researchers analyzed health information on the births of over 3.5 million people from the Korea National Health Insurance Services database from 2005 to 2019.
“Our research highlights the importance of maternal factors and genetic characteristics, and we understand how these lead to them,” said Dr. June Hu, PhD, professor of cardiology at the Department of Cardiology at the Department of Pediatrics at the Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, School of Medicine, Samsung University, School of Medicine, South Korea.
Findings show that care for congenital heart defects can benefit from the inclusion of a variety of medical professionals to provide balanced care to families, he said.
Analysis found:
- Overall, cancer incidence was 66% higher in newborns with congenital heart defects compared to newborns without heart defects.
- Specifically, compared to newborns without congenital heart defects, the risk of cancer was more than twice as high in newborns with congenital defects with blood vessels or heart valves, and twice as high in those with complex congenital heart disease.
- The most common types of cancers that occurred among all children, with or without congenital heart failure, were leukemia (21%) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (11%).
- Mothers who gave birth to a newborn with a congenital heart defect were 17% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer during a 10-year follow-up period compared to mothers who gave birth to a newborn without congenital heart damage.
Researchers have not yet determined why babies with congenital heart defects are associated with why maternal cancer is at a higher risk. Potential factors include maternal genetic predispositions or mutations known to contribute to the risk of cancer and congenital heart disorders in the newborn.
“Maternally inherited genetic variation may provide a necessary environment for cancer in patients with congenital heart disorders, highlighting the shared genetic pathways underlying both conditions,” Huh said.
Volunteer expert Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH, said the discovery of cancer-related research among mothers of infants with congenital heart defects is surprising.
“This finding needs to be further investigated to understand whether there are environmental factors that affect genes (epigenetics) or whether there are stress-related changes that link maternal cancer risk with congenital heart defects,” said Lopez, chairman of the association’s Young Heart Congenital Heart Defects Committee and associate professor at the hospital at Children’s Hospital in Texas. “There are some data suggesting that stress is related to cancer risk, and having a child with a congenital heart defect can be very stressful. Therefore, research investigating and demonstrating all links between cancer and congenital heart defects will help you understand not only cardiac defects, but the lifelong risks of cancer development within the family.”
The study also highlights the importance of follow-up care by pediatric cardiologists and primary care physicians, and the need for lifelong care for ongoing surveillance of people born with congenital heart disorders, Lopez said.
The limitations of the study include unknown factors that may be biased towards the findings of the study, and some analyses lacked strength due to certain types of congenital heart failure. The study was from data from people in Korea, but Huh said the findings could apply to other groups.
Details, background, design:
- The researchers reviewed health information for more than 3.5 million babies in Korea born with or without congenital heart disease (51.5% of boys, 48.5% of girls). Of the births, 72,205 newborns had congenital heart defects. Mothers with a history of cancer (19,310) were excluded from the analysis.
- The national survey analysis was conducted using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Services Database from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2019. Information called K-NHIS data, individual-level demographics, and all records of diagnosis and healthcare (including office visits, prescriptions and medical procedures), as well as patient and emergency department visits are provided.
- For cancer diagnosis to be counted in this study, the same International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) cancer code had to appear at least three times in the medical record within a year, or resulted in at least one inpatient hospitalization.
- The analysis was carried out in 2024.
Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.
Research published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journal is peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are the only statements of the research authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policies or positions. The Association makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or reliability. Associations receive funds primarily from individuals. Foundations and businesses (including drugs, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to fund specific association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from affecting the content of science. Revenues are available from the overall financial information of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers, health insurance providers and associations here.
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