Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are the two leading causes of mortality in the world and their association is a therapeutic challenge. Current data showed that patients with active cancer and severe aortic stenosis have better survival after aortic-valve replacement in comparison with those have medical treatment. Presence of active cancer is frequently a reason to decline surgery due to the fear of periprocedural complications in this frail population and transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) appears like the treatment of choice in this situation. However, data concerning outcomes in this case are limited and contradictory.

This study aims to constitute the first French cohort of patients with active cancer undergoing TAVR in order to determine their prevalence, characteristics, perioperative outcomes and mortality.

We prospectively included all consecutive patients who underwent TAVR in our institution (Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France). Active cancer status at the time of the procedure was determined by a specialist physician with an anatomopathological diagnosis in all cases where it was possible. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during follow-up.

Among 585 patients who underwent TAVR, 62 had an active cancer. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with active cancer in comparison with those without cancer (38.7% vs. 20.1% respectively; P=0.001). This excess of mortality is mainly driven by non-cardiovascular causes of death. Other periprocedural complications (major adverse cardiovascular events, bleeding, rehospitalization for heart failure, acute kidney injury) did not differ between the two groups (Fig. 1).

In patients who underwent TAVR, active cancer is a non-negligible comorbidity. All-cause mortality is higher in this population, mainly driven by non-cardiovascular mortality. However, periprocedural complications are not increased in this specific population.