What the study found
Advancing cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome stage was associated with higher cancer risk, especially at Stages 3 and 4. The association was reported in a large nationwide population and was consistent across cancer types and several subgroup analyses.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings extend the clinical relevance of the CKM framework beyond cardiovascular and kidney outcomes. They say the results underscore the need for integrated risk assessment and prevention in people with multiple coexisting conditions.
What the researchers tested
The researchers examined a longitudinal association between baseline CKM stage and later cancer development in a nationwide database. They used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors, and they also performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses.
What worked and what didn't
Compared with CKM Stage 0, the adjusted hazard ratios for cancer were 1.03 for Stage 1, 1.02 for Stage 2, 1.25 for Stage 3, and 1.30 for Stage 4. The higher-stage associations were reported as consistent across cancer types and across age- and sex-stratified analyses, and sensitivity analyses using alternative CKM definitions supported the findings.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the observational design and the follow-up period of 3.4 years. The summary also does not provide information on which specific cancer types were included beyond the use of ICD codes C00-C97.
Key points
- Higher baseline CKM stage was associated with increased cancer risk.
- The strongest associations were reported for CKM Stages 3 and 4.
- Adjusted hazard ratios for cancer rose from Stage 0 to Stages 3 and 4.
- The stage-specific pattern was consistent across cancer types and across age and sex subgroups.
- Sensitivity analyses using alternative CKM definitions supported the findings.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Higher CKM stage was linked to higher cancer risk
- Authors:
- Tatsuhiko Azegami, Hidehiro Kaneko, Yuta Suzuki, Akira Okada, Toshiyuki Ko, Takahiro Jimba, Kentaro Ejiri, Atsushi Mizuno, Katsuhito Fujiu, Norifumi Takeda, Hiroyuki Morita, Shinsuke Yuasa, Koichi Node, Masaomi Nangaku, Norihiko Takeda, Hideo Yasunaga, Kaori Hayashi
- Institutions:
- Keio University, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Takeda (Japan), National Institute of Public Health, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Okayama University, St. Luke's International Hospital, Saga University, The University of Tokyo, Department of Health
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-27
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.