# Korean cohort of 294,398 heart attack patients: blood cancer hazard ratio 1.42, 2.01 under age 50

- Published: 2026-11-13 14:48 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: acute myocardial infarction, hematologic malignancy, blood cancer risk, nationwide cohort study, Korean National Health Insurance Service, Fine–Gray regression, standardized incidence ratio, myeloproliferative neoplasms, multiple myeloma, younger patients
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-92698c4983a46e3c9fd6b006_korean_cohort_of/

**A nationwide Korean retrospective study found a higher rate of hematologic malignancies after acute myocardial infarction, with the largest relative risk in patients under 50.**

![Korean cohort of 294,398 heart attack patients: blood cancer hazard ratio 1.42, 2.01 under age 50](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/b466796aa364dee9.jpg)
*Kalumet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

A nationwide retrospective cohort study from South Korea found that adults who had an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) later developed hematologic malignancies more often than matched controls. The analysis, published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders and available via doi.org, used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. It covered AMI cases from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2016, with follow-up through December 31, 2021 [1]. Earlier work had suggested that AMI survivors may face a higher malignancy risk, but it was unclear whether the association depends on age.

## Cohort and methods

The cohort included 294,398 AMI patients and 558,084 controls without AMI, matched 1:2 by age and sex using propensity scores [1]. Participants were followed from the index date until a diagnosis of hematologic malignancy, death, or the end of follow-up. Because death precludes observing a later cancer, it was treated as a competing risk. Risks were estimated with Fine–Gray regression adjusted for demographics and comorbidities [1].

The authors also calculated age- and sex-standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) against national cancer incidence rates. This allowed comparison with the general population as well as with matched controls [1].

## Results by age and subtype

Hematologic malignancies occurred in 2,886 AMI patients and 7,297 controls. Crude incidence rates were 1.23 and 0.91 per 1,000 person-years, respectively [1]. The adjusted hazard ratio for AMI was 1.42 (95% CI 1.34–1.52) [1].

The association was strongest in patients younger than 50 years, with a hazard ratio of 2.01 (95% CI 1.62–2.51). It remained significant in older age groups, with relative risk progressively higher at younger ages [1].

In the SIR analysis, incidence exceeded expected levels, particularly for myeloproliferative neoplasms (SIR 4.83) and multiple myeloma (SIR 3.34). SIRs were higher in younger age strata [1].

The study is observational, so it reports an association rather than a cause. The authors conclude that the findings may inform long-term risk stratification and assessment of non-cardiovascular outcomes in younger AMI survivors [1].

## Sources

1. [doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-026-07008-9)
2. [bioengineer.org](https://bioengineer.org/heart-attack-survivors-face-increased-blood-cancer-risk-particularly-at-younger-ages)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-92698c4983a46e3c9fd6b006_korean_cohort_of/