A new study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that alcohol use and smoking are linked to both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation (AFib) in women aged 55 and older across multiple regions worldwide. The research, which analyzed data from 204 countries and territories, found that in about 40% of regions, rates of breast cancer and AFib were similar, particularly in high-income Western nations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and much of Europe.
According to the study, these two conditions represent a growing global health burden, yet their co-occurrence and shared risk factors have been poorly understood. The researchers evaluated 58 health, behavioral, and lifestyle risk factors, identifying smoking and alcohol use as key contributors. Their analysis suggests that reducing alcohol intake and smoking could potentially lower the risk of breast cancer by about 15% and AFib by about 12% worldwide.
“Identifying shared risk factors is important for developing interventions that support optimal health, such as smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, which could potentially reduce the global incidence of breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter substantially,” said study co-author Shu Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Breast Disease Center at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing.
The study found that alcohol use contributed to 9.27% of breast cancer cases and 7.57% of AFib cases. High-income regions showed elevated rates of both conditions, aligning with previous research linking Western diets and sedentary lifestyles to increased risks. The researchers created spatial risk maps to guide region-specific prevention strategies.
“One of the most surprising aspects of our findings was how common both breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter diagnoses were among women ages 55 and older in high-income regions, which highlights the influence of lifestyle,” Wang said. “This is the first study combining global data with machine learning to show the relationship between the conditions, their location across the world and the shared risk factors of these two conditions.”
The study, which utilized machine learning to analyze global patterns, also highlighted that Western nations had greater exposure to smoking and alcohol use compared to Eastern regions. Additionally, factors like higher body mass index and sedentary lifestyles due to industrialization contributed to the higher risk.
Co-authors Zeye Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and Yi Shi, M.D., Ph.D., from Peking University People’s Hospital, emphasized that “breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter rise together across many regions of the world and share the same modifiable risk factors. From a cardiovascular perspective, this means that reducing smoking and alcohol use could help lower the risk of both conditions at the same time.”
Laxmi Mehta, M.D., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology, who was not involved in the study, noted that “many of the same modifiable factors, including smoking, alcohol use, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity, contribute to both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease including atrial fibrillation/flutter, as confirmed by this study’s findings.” She highlighted the importance of integrated lifestyle strategies, referencing the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8.
The study analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database, focusing on women 55 and older. Limitations include the lack of individual-level data and potential differences in screening and diagnostic criteria across countries. The researchers plan to incorporate long-term research, genetic and metabolic data, and socioeconomic factors in future studies.
For more information, the full manuscript is available online after July 8, 2026.
