physical stresses that can contribute to broken heart syndrome, the study noted.
The new study included just over 1,600 people with broken heart syndrome. The participants were recruited at 26 medical centers in nine different countries, including eight European countries and the United States.
Among those diagnosed with cancer, most were women (88%) and their average age was 70.
The incidence of cancer cases was much higher than would normally be expected, Templin said. That was true for both genders and all age groups. For example, in women aged 44 years and younger, the expected rate of cancer is 0.4%, but for those with broken heart syndrome it was 8%.
In men 45 to 64 years old, the expected rate of cancer was 2%, but in those with broken heart syndrome, it was 22%. In both older men and