Cannabis use among recently treated cancer patients: perceptions and experiences.

PURPOSE: To characterize cannabis use among cancer patients, we aimed to describe 1) patterns of cannabis use across multiple cancer sites; 2) perceived goals, benefits, harms of cannabis; and 3) communication about cannabis. METHODS: Patients with 9 different cancers treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between March and August 2021 completed an online or phone survey eliciting cannabis use, attitudes, and communication about cannabis. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the association of cancer type and cannabis use, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and prior cannabis use. RESULTS: Among 1258 respondents, 31% used cannabis after diagnosis, ranging from 25% for lung cancer to 59% for testicular cancer. Characteristics associated with cannabis use included younger age, lower education level, and cancer type. In multivariable analysis, compared to lung cancer patients, gastrointestinal cancer patients were more likely to use cannabis (odds ratio [OR] 2.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25-5.43). Cannabis use in the year prior to diagnosis was strongly associated with cannabis use after diagnosis (OR 19.13, 95% CI 11.92-30.72). Among users, reasons for use included difficulty sleeping (48%); stress, anxiety, or depression (46%); and pain (42%). Among respondents who used cannabis to improve symptoms, 70-90% reported improvement; < 5% reported that any symptom worsened. Only 25% discussed cannabis with healthcare providers. CONCLUSIONS: Almost a third of cancer patients use cannabis, largely for symptom management. Oncologists may not know about their patients' cannabis use. To improve decision making about cannabis use during cancer care, research is needed to determine benefits and harms of cannabis use.

Cardiovascular risk factors, radiation therapy, and myocardial infarction among lymphoma survivors.

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal radiation is associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) among non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how preexisting cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) modify the association of mediastinal radiation and MI among a national population of NHL survivors with a range of CVRFs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using Danish registries, we identified adults diagnosed with lymphoma 2000-2010. We assessed MI from one year after diagnosis through 2016. We ascertained CVRFs (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes), vascular disease, and intrinsic heart disease prevalent at lymphoma diagnosis. We used multivariable Cox regression to test the interaction between preexisting CVRFs and receipt of mediastinal radiation on subsequent MI. RESULTS: Among 3151 NHL survivors (median age 63, median follow-up 6.5 years), 96 were diagnosed with MI. Before lymphoma, 32% of survivors had ≥1 CVRF. 8.5% of survivors received mediastinal radiation. In multivariable analysis, we found that mediastinal radiation (HR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.09-3.52), and presence of ≥1 CVRF (HR = 2.71; 95% CI = 1.77-4.15) were associated with an increased risk of MI. Although there was no interaction on the relative scale (p = 0.14), we saw a clinically relevant absolute increase in risk for patients with CVRF from 10-year of MI of 10.5% without radiation to 29.5% for those undergoing radiation. CONCLUSION: Patients with CVRFs have an importantly higher risk of subsequent MI if they have mediastinal radiation. Routine evaluation of CVRFs and optimal treatment of preexisting cardiovascular disease should continue after receiving cancer therapy. In patients with CVRFs, mediastinal radiation should only be given if oncologic benefit clearly outweighs cardiovascular harm.

In the weeds: a retrospective study of patient interest in and experience with cannabis at a cancer center.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis products, including the cannabinoids CBD and THC, are rising in popularity and increasingly used for medical purposes. While there is some evidence that cannabinoids improve cancer-associated symptoms, understanding regarding appropriate use remains incomplete. PURPOSE: To describe patient experiences with medical cannabis with focus on use contexts and patients' reported benefits and harms. METHODS: A standardized intake form was implemented in a dedicated medical cannabis clinic at an NCI-designated cancer center; data from this form was abstracted for all initial visits from October 2019 to October 2020. We report descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 163 unique new patients, cannabis therapy was commonly sought for sleep, pain, anxiety, and appetite. Twenty-nine percent expressed interest for cancer treatment; 40% and 46% reported past use of CBD and THC, respectively, for medical purposes. Among past CBD users, the most commonly reported benefits were less pain (21%) or anxiety (17%) and improvement in sleep (15%); 92% reported no side effects. Among those with past THC use, reported benefits included improvement in appetite (40%), sleep (32%), nausea (28%), and pain (17%); side effects included feeling "high." Seeking cannabis for anti-neoplastic effects was associated with receipt of active cancer treatment in both univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients seek medical cannabis to address a wide variety of concerns despite insufficient evidence of benefits and harms. As more states move to legalize medical and recreational cannabis, cancer care providers must remain aware of emerging data and develop knowledge and skills to counsel their patients about its use.

Understanding interest, barriers, and preferences related to yoga practice among cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Despite growing evidence supporting the benefits of yoga for cancer-related symptom management, yoga usage among cancer survivors is low. To translate the evidence of yoga benefits into community practice, it is critical to understand interest in yoga as well as barriers and preferences that influence yoga usage among cancer survivors. METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study among cancer survivors, 18 years or older, with a primary diagnosis of cancer, and receiving treatment or follow-up care at outpatient clinics at five regional academic cancer center sites. We collected data and performed bivariate and multivariable analyses on self-reported yoga usage and interest in and barriers to practicing yoga, as well as preferred location and time for yoga practice. RESULTS: Of 857 participants, 70.0% had never practiced yoga and 52.3% were interested in practicing yoga. Among those interested, 52.5% had never practiced yoga. Lower interest was independently associated with being male (odds ratio [OR] = 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20-0.44, p < 0.001), unemployed (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.39-0.91, p = 0.016), and white (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.23-0.78, p = 0.005). Commonly cited barriers among those who were interested but had never practiced were not aware of yoga benefits (36.3%), difficulty motivating (28.7%), experiencing symptoms (22.9%), and not enough time (22.0%). Participants indicated "on-site and at a studio near home" (41.5%) as preferred location and evenings (3-8 pm, 34.0%) as preferred time for yoga practice. CONCLUSION: Although more than 50% of patients indicated interest in practicing yoga, use of yoga is low among cancer survivors. Barriers and patient preferences for yoga practice need to be addressed to design effective yoga programs for this population.

Rapid deployment of virtual mind-body interventions during the COVID-19 outbreak: feasibility, acceptability, and implications for future care.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 increased stress levels while reducing access to mind-body services in patients with cancer. We describe the rapid deployment of remotely delivered mind-body services to people with cancer during COVID-19, rates of participation, and acceptability from patients' perspectives. METHODS: Eligible participants were patients with cancer age ≥ 18 years enrolled in a single academic cancer center's online patient portal. Interventions included mind-body group therapy sessions in fitness, meditation, yoga, dance, tai chi, and music delivered using Zoom video conferencing. Sessions were 30-45 min and led by an integrative medicine clinician. Following each session, participants were asked to complete a three-item questionnaire assessing (1) satisfaction with the class session, (2) reduction in stress/anxiety, and (3) likelihood of recommending the class to others. Patients could also provide comments in real-time using the Zoom chat function. RESULTS: Among 5948 unique visits, the most frequently attended classes were fitness (n = 2513, 42.2%) followed by meditation (n = 1176, 19.8%) and yoga (n = 909, 15.3%). Of these visits, 3902 (65.6%) had an associated completed questionnaire. Across class types, a large majority of participants reported being extremely satisfied (n = 3733, 95.7%), experiencing extreme reductions in anxiety/stress (n = 3268, 83.8%), and being extremely likely to recommend the class to others (n = 3605, 92.4%). Fitness had the highest endorsement among class types (all p values < 0.001). Themes from the chat responses included gratitude, expressions of helpfulness, and feelings of connection. CONCLUSION: High utilization of and satisfaction with these virtual mind-body services demonstrate the significant potential of remote delivery to facilitate patient access to services.

Utilization of integrative medicine differs by age among pediatric oncology patients.

PURPOSE: Coping with symptoms related to cancer treatment is challenging for pediatric patients with cancer and their caregivers. Additionally, caring for pediatric patients requires specialized expertise to incorporate age-appropriate interventions to improve outcomes. Despite the increase in pediatric inpatient integrative medicine (IM) therapies, there is a paucity of knowledge about whether the utilization of IM therapies differs by patient age. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis on IM utilization among pediatric inpatients between 2008 and 2016 in a tertiary urban cancer center using electronic medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the relationship between age and specific type of IM utilization, adjusting for specific demographic factors. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2016, the pediatric inpatient IM service had 20 686 visits and treated 1877 unique patients. A significant age difference (P < 0.001) by modality was noted: dance therapy (mean age ± standard deviation: 5.9 ± 5.3 years), music therapy (8.0±7.0 years), mind-body therapies (13.0 ± 7.7 years), massage (14.5 ± 7.8 years), and acupuncture (20.0 ± 7.9 years). In multivariable analysis, the association between age and use of specific IM therapies remained significant (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: Specific types of inpatient IM therapy usage significantly differed by the age of pediatric patients with cancer; therefore, designing and providing age-appropriate IM interventions with consideration for developmental stage are needed to ensure that the most appropriate and effective therapies are provided to children with cancer.

Fertility information needs and concerns post-treatment contribute to lowered quality of life among young adult female cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Cancer treatment may lead to premature menopause and infertility. Young adult female cancer survivors (YAFCS) are often concerned about their fertility and future family-building options, but research is limited on how concerns may affect more general quality of life (QOL) domains. This study examined how fertility factors relate to QOL among YAFCS who received gonadotoxic therapy. METHOD: A national sample of YAFCS completed an online, anonymous survey. The survey included investigator-designed questions about perceived fertility information needs (five items; Cronbach's α = .83) and general QOL (four items; α = .89), the Reproductive Concerns after Cancer Scale (RCACS) and Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS). Analyses included Pearson's correlation, t tests, and stepwise regression. RESULTS: Participants (N = 314) were an average of 30 years old (SD = 4.1) and 5 years (SD = 5.4) post-treatment; 31% reported being infertile and 19% had undergone fertility preservation (FP). Overall, QOL was relatively high (M = 7.3, SD = 1.9, range 0-10) and did not vary by fertility status (t[272] = .743, p = .46), prior FP (t[273] = .53, p = .55) or sociodemographic/clinical factors (p's > .05) except socioeconomic indicators (p's < .05).In separate models, greater unmet fertility information needs (ß = - .19, p = .004) and, among fertile women, greater reproductive concerns (ß = - .26, p = .001) related to lower QOL. Among fertile women without prior FP, greater decisional distress about future FP related to lower QOL (ß = - .19, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that unaddressed fertility information needs, concerns, and decision distress may affect general QOL among post-treatment YAFCS who hope to have children in the future. Future work should identify ways to optimally incorporate fertility counseling and support resources into survivorship care programs, including referrals to reproductive specialists as appropriate.

Young adult female cancer survivors' unmet information needs and reproductive concerns contribute to decisional conflict regarding posttreatment fertility preservation.

BACKGROUND: Many young adult female cancer survivors (YAFCS) are at risk of experiencing premature menopause. The current study characterized the posttreatment fertility information needs, reproductive concerns, and decisional conflict regarding future options for posttreatment fertility preservation (FP) among YAFCS. METHODS: Participants completed a Web-based, anonymous survey between February and March 2015. The survey included investigator-designed questions of perceived information needs, the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale, and the Decisional Conflict Scale. Analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients, independent-sample Student t tests, and multiple regression. RESULTS: There was a total of 346 participants with an average age of 29.9 years (SD = 4.1 years) who were 4.9 years from treatment (SD = 5.4 years [range, 0-27 years]). The main analyses focused on a subgroup of YAFCS with uncertain fertility status who had not previously undergone/attempted FP and either wanted future children or were unsure (179 women). Across fertility information topics, 43% to 62% of participants reported unmet information needs. The greatest reproductive concerns were related to fertility potential and the health of future offspring. The regression model controlled for a priori covariates including current age, age at treatment completion, income, relationship status, nulliparity, and prior fertility evaluation. Greater unmet information needs were found to be related to greater decisional conflict (ß = .43; p<.001); greater reproductive concerns were associated at the trend level (ß = .14, p = .08; F[8,118] = 6.42, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: YAFCS with limited awareness or knowledge of their risk of experiencing premature menopause and FP options reported higher levels of decisional conflict regarding future FP. Posttreatment survivorship care should include comprehensive reproductive health counseling, including posttreatment FP options and family-building alternatives. Cancer 2016;122:2101-9. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Obesity and Metabolic Disease After Childhood Cancer.

As care for the childhood cancer patient has improved significantly, there is an increasing incidence of treatment-related late effects. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are common and significant metabolic conditions in some populations of adult survivors of childhood cancer. Results from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and other large cohorts of childhood cancer survivors reveal that long-term survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and those who received total body irradiation or abdominal radiotherapy are at highest risk. The potential mechanisms for the observed increase in risk, including alterations in leptin and adiponectin, pancreatic insufficiency, poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, and perhaps changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, are reviewed. Discussion of exercise and diet intervention studies shows that further research about the barriers to a healthy lifestyle and other interventions in childhood cancer survivors is warranted.

Patient out-of-pocket costs for cannabis use during cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: We assessed patient costs associated with cannabis use during cancer treatment. METHODS: Adults treated for cancer at a large, comprehensive center completed an anonymous survey regarding their thoughts and experiences with cannabis and cancer. Bivariate and weighted multivariable logistic regression assessed clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with patient-reported out-of-pocket costs for cannabis products. RESULTS: Overall, 248 cannabis users provided data on cost and were analyzed. Median monthly out-of-pocket cost for cannabis was $80 (interquartile range = $25-$150). On regression analysis, male gender (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.2 to 5.5, P = .026) and being 45 years of age or older (odds ratio = 7.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.9 to 30.0, P = .0042) were associated with spending $100 a month or more on cannabis. Of the 166 patients who stopped using cannabis early or used less than preferred, 28% attributed it to cost and 26% to lack of insurance coverage. CONCLUSION: Cannabis use during cancer treatment may contribute to significant out-of-pocket costs, with men and younger patients more likely to pay higher costs.

Utilization, Delivery, and Outcomes of Dance/Movement Therapy for Pediatric Oncology Patients and their Caregivers: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Children with cancer and their caregivers face physical and psychosocial challenges during and after treatment. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) has been used to improve well-being, promote healthy coping, and mitigate the impact of illness, but limited knowledge exists regarding DMT utilization, delivery, and outcomes in pediatric oncology. This retrospective study aimed to identify reasons for referral to DMT, DMT visit characteristics, key DMT techniques and processes, and clinician-reported outcomes. We examined the electronic medical records of 100 randomly selected pediatric patients (resulting in 1160 visits) who received DMT services between 2011 and 2021. Sociodemographic, clinical, and visit characteristics, referral reasons, and clinician-reported outcomes were reported as frequency and proportions. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify key DMT techniques and processes. Among 100 patients (63% female, aged 0-27 years), 77.9% were referred for psychological distress and 19.6% for pain. Two distinct DMT approaches were used during visits: a traditional DMT approach (77%) and a multisensory DMT approach (23%). The most common visit length was 15-25 min (41.6%), followed by sessions of 30-45 min (22.5%) and ≤10 min (18.1%). A total of 61.9% of DMT visits were inpatient and 38.1% outpatient. Of all visits, 8.8% were new and 91.2% were follow-ups. Caregivers were engaged in treatment in 43.7% of visits, and 5.5% of visits focused entirely on the work with the caregiver. DMT intervention focused on self-expression, emotional self-regulation, coping strategies, socialization, and caregiver-child interaction. Clinician-reported outcomes included enhanced coping with hospital experience (58%), improved pain management (27%), improved self-regulation (21%), and increased physical activation (13.2%). The results suggest DMT as a supportive intervention for psychological distress and pain management in pediatric oncology patients and provide insights into DMT practices and outcomes to guide intervention development and future research.

Communicating cardiovascular risk to high-risk cancer survivors: a mixed-methods pilot study of a statin risk communication tool.

PURPOSE: Childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors treated with radiation therapy (RT) may be unaware of their high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk or how to mitigate it. Tools are needed to improve understanding. We developed and pilot-tested a risk communication tool for shared decision-making with survivors regarding CVD risk reduction with statin therapy. We included quantitative and qualitative arms to further tool development and testing. METHODS: The statin risk communication tool was adapted from a previously validated tool. Patients were at increased risk for CVD due to history of chest RT and recruited to usual care and intervention arms. The post-visit survey included Likert-like scales to explore acceptability of the tool, knowledge questions, and a decisional conflict scale. This pilot study used descriptive statistics and was not powered for significance. Semi-structured interviews with intervention arm participants explored shared decision-making processes. RESULTS: Median participant (n = 46) age was 45. Most intervention patients (22/24, 92%) and 50% (11/22) of controls found statin information acceptable while 31% (7/22) of the control arm selected "not applicable" regarding information acceptability. Most participants were unaware of their personal CVD risk or potential statin side effects. In semi-structured interviews, participants found the tool is helpful to visualize risk and aid conversations. CONCLUSIONS: The risk communication tool was acceptable. Qualitative data suggested the tool improved decisional clarity and comfort. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Poor knowledge of CVD and statins and poor recall of CVD risk conversation suggest a need to continue to optimize conversations regarding cardiovascular risk and statin therapy.

Utilization of clinical genetic counseling among childhood and young adult cancer survivors in a registry trial.

We describe utilization of clinical genetic services among survivors of childhood and young adult cancer after participation in a genetic registry. Clinical genetic counselors flagged 162 out of 1069 pedigrees (15.2%) as suggestive of inheritable cancer susceptibility, resulting in 126 (11.8%) referral letters. Following delivery of the referral letters, 19 (15.1%) participants completed clinical genetic counseling, 16 (12.7%) received testing, and four (3.2%) were found to have actionable results. Our results suggest a discordance between reported willingness to undergo genetic counseling and real-world utilization.

Awareness of Yoga for Supportive Care in Cancer: Implications for Dissemination.

Objectives: Evidence indicates there are beneficial physical and psychosocial effects from practicing yoga in cancer patients and survivors. Despite yoga having been incorporated into National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for symptoms ranging from fatigue to pain, patients' use of yoga for supportive care is low, ranging from 6% to 12%. This study aims to evaluate the awareness of yoga as therapy in an academic cancer center and the preferences for information delivery in this population. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study at an urban academic cancer center. Responses regarding awareness and use of yoga were evaluated; those responding "not aware" were analyzed for preferences in information delivery. Univariate analysis was used to further characterize awareness of yoga for supportive care. Results: Of 303 respondents, 68% were female, 77% were white, and 75% were college educated. Despite access to yoga at the cancer center, 171 (56%) patients expressed they were not aware of the availability of yoga. Male patients were more likely to be unaware of yoga (72.4% vs. 48.8%, p = 0.045). Awareness did not vary by age, race, educational attainment, marital status, cancer type, or cancer stage. Of the 171 "not aware" patients, 87.6% expressed desire for information in the form of printed material, followed by 80.4% for e-mail, 37.6% for smartphone application, and 27.6% for social media. Non-white respondents were more likely to express interest in receiving information by smartphone. Conclusions: More than half of cancer patients were unaware of the yoga program despite advertising across the institution. Patients prefer varying methods for information receipt, with preferences differing by sociodemographic factors. Targeted education and outreach using appropriate engagement is needed to improve the awareness of yoga for symptom control in cancer patients.

Young Adult Female Cancer Survivors' Concerns About Future Children's Health and Genetic Risk.

As young adult female cancer survivors (aged 18-35) make family-building decisions, understanding the specific nature of their concerns is important. We evaluated survivors' concerns about potential health risks to future children including genetic susceptibility for cancer with an internet-based survey study (N = 187). Sixty-five percent reported concern about passing on a genetic cancer risk to their children, and scores did not vary regardless of association with cancer at high risk for genetic transmission. Genetic counseling and education about family-building options may be important to survivors concerned about health risks to offspring to support family-building decisions based on personalized medical information.

Determinants of mobile technology use and smartphone application interest in cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Supportive care is a critical component of the treatment of cancer patients that is underutilized; patient lack of information about these services is an important barrier. Mobile technologies may be useful tools for delivering information, but cancer patient use of and interest in using them to learn about supportive care services have not been described. This study evaluates factors associated with cancer patient use of mobile technologies and interest in smartphone applications for information delivery about supportive care. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among cancer patients from one urban academic hospital and 11 community hospitals. Patients self-reported use of mobile technologies and interest in smartphone applications. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to identify determinants of mobile technology use and smartphone interest. RESULTS: Among 631 participants, 466 (74%) reported regular use of mobile devices and 242 (39%) expressed an interest in supportive care information via smartphone applications. Patients under 45 were more likely to use a mobile device (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 6.8, 2.8-16.9 95% CI, P < 0.001) and were interested in smartphone applications for delivery of information (AOR 3.2, 1.8-5.9 95% CI, P < 0.001). Non-white patients had similar use of mobile technology compared to whites but reported greater interest in smartphone application-based information (AOR 3.4, 2.1-5.5 95% CI, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Many patients expressed interest in smartphone application-based information about supportive care services, especially those who are younger and non-white. Future studies should investigate the characteristics of patients and smartphones applications that will optimize information delivery through a mobile technology platform.

Incorporating Multiple Perspectives Into the Development of an Electronic Survivorship Platform for Head and Neck Cancer.

PURPOSE: To improve the care of survivors of head and neck cancer, we developed the Head and Neck Survivorship Tool: Assessment and Recommendations (HN-STAR). HN-STAR is an electronic platform that incorporates patient-reported outcomes into a clinical decision support tool for use at a survivorship visit. Selections in the clinical decision support tool automatically populate a survivorship care plan (SCP). We aimed to refine HN-STAR by eliciting and incorporating feedback on its ease of use and usefulness. METHODS: Human-computer interaction (HCI) experts reviewed HN-STAR using think-aloud testing and the Nielsen Heuristic Checklist. Nurse practitioners (NPs) thought aloud while reviewing the clinical decision support tool and SCP and responded to an interview. Survivors used HN-STAR as part of a routine visit and were interviewed afterward. We analyzed themes from the feedback. We described how we addressed each theme to improve the usability of HN-STAR. RESULTS: Five HCI experts, 10 NPs, and 10 cancer survivors provided complementary usability insight that we categorized into themes of improvements. For ease of use, themes included technical design considerations to enhance user interface, ease of completion of a self-assessment, streamlining text, disruption of the clinic visit, and threshold for symptoms to appear on the SCP. The theme addressing usefulness was efficiency and comprehensiveness of the clinic visit. For each theme, we report revisions to HN-STAR in response to the feedback. CONCLUSION: HCI experts provided key technical design insights into HN-STAR, whereas NPs and survivors provided usability feedback and clinical perspectives. We incorporated the feedback into the preparation for additional testing of HN-STAR. This method can inform and improve the ease of use and usefulness of the survivorship applications.

Preexisting Cardiovascular Risk and Subsequent Heart Failure Among Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors.

Purpose The use of anthracycline chemotherapy is associated with heart failure (HF) among survivors of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We aimed to understand the contribution of preexisting cardiovascular risk factors to HF risk among NHL survivors. Methods Using Danish registries, we identified adults diagnosed with aggressive NHL from 2000 to 2010 and sex- and age-matched general-population controls. We assessed HF from 9 months after diagnosis through 2012. We used Cox regression analysis to assess differences in risk for HF between survivors and general population controls. Among survivors only, preexisting cardiovascular factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes) and preexisting cardiovascular disease were ascertained. We used multivariable Cox regression to model the association of preexisting cardiovascular conditions on subsequent HF. Results Among 2,508 survivors of NHL and 7,399 controls, there was a 42% increased risk of HF among survivors compared with general population controls (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.88). Among survivors (median age at diagnosis, 62 years; 56% male), 115 were diagnosed with HF during follow-up (median years of follow-up, 2.5). Before NHL diagnosis, 39% had ≥ 1 cardiovascular risk factor; 92% of survivors were treated with anthracycline-containing regimens. In multivariable analysis, intrinsic heart disease diagnosed before lymphoma was associated with increased risk of HF (HR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.15 to 6.36), whereas preexisting vascular disease had no association with HF ( P > .05). Survivors with cardiovascular risk factors had an increased risk of HF compared with those with none (for 1 v 0 cardiovascular risk factors: HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.47; for ≥ 2 v 0 cardiovascular risk factors: HR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.56 to 5.23; joint P < .01). Conclusion In a large, population-based cohort of NHL survivors, preexisting cardiovascular conditions were associated with increased risk of HF. Preventive approaches should take baseline cardiovascular health into account.