Relation between cardiovascular pathologic conditions and malignant tumours as seen by pathologist. II. Myocardial infarct and coronary atherosclerosis in the population suffering from malignant neoplasm as seen by pathologist.

In the autopsy material of 2932 men and 3051 women the frequency of fresh myocardial infarct and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis were highly significantly lower in the population suffering from malignancies than in that free of cancer. Lower frequency of myocardial infarct seems to result from lower severity of coronary atherosclerosis. The incidence rate of myocardial infarct was also significantly lower in the cancer--bearing group when both compared populations showed identical, severe (grade 4) coronary atherosclerosis. This observation seems to indicate lesser contribution of coronary spasm in cancerous population and justifies the discussion of possible significance of EDRF (endothelium-derived relaxing factor) and catecholamines.

Relation between cardiovascular pathologic conditions and malignant tumours as seen by pathologist. I. Frequency of malignant neoplasms in the population with myocardial hypertrophy as seen by pathologist.

Relatively low co-existence of malignant neoplasms and chronic cardiovascular disease was documented in this work the emphasis being put on the conditions running with myocardial hypertrophy. The percentage of malignancy in the total autopsy material of 5821 men and 6849 women was 27.8 and 23.0 resp., and in the subgroup with heart weight 300-400 g, 36.8 and 31.0 resp. This percentage was significantly lower in separated subgroups of: a. arterial hypertension, 6.6 and 10.2, b. cardio-pulmonary syndrome, 23.0 and 18.5, c. healed myocardial infarct accompanied by myocardial hypertrophy, 13.3 and 11.7, d. acquired valvar deformity, 15.3 and 10.1. The subgroup of heart weight 150-250 g showed 57.2% and 46.6% of cases with malignancy while that of cardiac weight over 600 g-7.4% and 5.7%. In the subgroup of normal right-(2-3 mm) and left-ventricular (10-12 mm) wall thickness corresponding percentage equalled 29.4 and 30.1, in the subgroup of right-ventricular wall thickness over 6 mm--14.4 and 8.8, and in that of left-ventricular wall thickness over 18 mm--12.5 and 9.4. Scanty available information suggests some antimitotic activity of catecholamines believed to condition that of chalones. Catecholamines are also attributed with the stimulation of myocardial hypertrophy. The correlation of our findings with assumptions mentioned above seem to justify a hypothesis, or only a possibility, that compensatory mechanisms active in the cardiovascular diseases create an unfavourable background for the development of neoplasm.