For the many Australians managing a cancer diagnosis, or supporting a partner or family member through one, new research has identified an important, often overlooked risk worth knowing about: a significantly elevated chance of stroke in the months immediately following diagnosis.

Why this matters for our readers specifically

Stroke is already a condition that disproportionately affects older Australians. The average age of stroke hospitalisation in Australia is 73, and the lifetime risk of ischaemic stroke from age 40 sits at around 15.5 per cent for men and 14 per cent for women. Cancer, too, becomes increasingly common with age. This new research adds a genuinely important layer to that picture, showing the period right after a cancer diagnosis carries its own distinct, elevated stroke risk, separate from the general risk that comes with simply getting older.

What the study found

Published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study analysed data from more than 182,000 adults aged 40 and over diagnosed with a first invasive cancer in Israel between 2014 and 2021, drawing on the country’s national cancer and stroke registries.

Overall, researchers found people with cancer experienced 80 per cent more strokes than would be expected in the general population. The risk wasn’t spread evenly across the year following diagnosis, either – it peaked sharply in the first three months, when patients had a 2.5 times higher stroke rate than expected.

The type of cancer made a significant difference too. Pancreatic cancer carried the highest elevated risk, with patients experiencing a stroke rate nearly six times higher than expected. Lung cancer patients faced almost four times the expected rate. By contrast, breast and prostate cancers, two of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Australia, were not linked to any increased stroke risk at all. Younger patients and those with more advanced cancer at diagnosis also faced a notably higher relative risk.

What the researchers are saying

Lead author Carmit Libruder, of the University of Haifa and the Israel Ministry of Health, said the findings point to the first few months after a cancer diagnosis as a genuinely critical window for stroke risk. She said the marked differences between cancer types, particularly the sharp increases seen with pancreatic and lung cancers, highlight the importance of identifying which patients may benefit from closer monitoring of their cerebrovascular health during this period.

What this means if you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed

This research doesn’t suggest a stroke is likely for most people diagnosed with cancer, but it does suggest the first three months after diagnosis deserve genuine attention, particularly for anyone diagnosed with pancreatic or lung cancer. If you’re newly diagnosed, or supporting someone who is, it’s worth raising stroke risk directly with your treating oncologist or GP as part of your broader care plan, rather than assuming it’s unrelated to your cancer diagnosis. Being aware of common stroke warning signs, sudden weakness or numbness, slurred speech, vision changes or severe headache, and knowing to act on them immediately, remains one of the most important things you can do during this higher-risk window.

This article reports on research published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, and is general in nature. It isn’t personalised medical advice — if you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, speak with your treating medical team about your individual risk factors.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.