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What makes ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms increase in size?
I am a 68 year old woman, who considers myself in relatively good shape and health until I was diagnosed with breast cancer 14 months ago. I had a lumpectomy and radiation and now I am on medication which increases cholesterol, causes joint pain, and osteoporosis. In June 2024, I had a CT Scan with contrast due to the cancer and that was fine but I found out I had a 4.1 ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm, which caused me to freak out. My cardiologist had no concern, so I saw a Thoracic Surgeon who said since I’m short, surgery would be needed if it reached 4.5. Typically, they recheck in a year but since I was nervous I just had a CT Scan on 1/17/2025 w/o contrast. I just received the results today, is it really beneficial so see results populating in your portal before you speak to the doctor, not…. anyway… it is now 4.3 so it grew in 7 months. I retired to relieve stress, do Pilates, use my elliptical, increased my BP to 100 mg, I occasionally have a glass of wine or Cosmo at dinner once a week. I don’t have a good feeling about this and I’m trying to be positive but I’m really struggling today.
Are there any statics on how often aneurysms increase in size compared to no change? Are there any statistics on how many people who have surgery survive the surgery but die from complications, or life span after surgery.
I always look for a solution and not one to give up but not being able to fix this is making me crazy.
Also, it seems doctors have a cavalier approach because there really isn’t anything they can do, basically the odds are 50/50…maybe.
Any inspirational hope from anyone?
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For sure smoking does. I do not have any idea about processed foods.
My mother died, probably of a thoracic aneurysm. She smoked 2 or 3 packs a day.
Smoking causes inflammation of the artery walls. Vasculitis is a major risk factor for aneurysms.
There are many publications with statistics on risk factors and also surgery complication risks - long lists of anything and everything related. Go to Pubmed and search!
I would think anything that causes inflammation would weaken the arteries and allow the aneurysm to get larger
A 4.6 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) isn’t considered large enough for surgery yet in most cases, but it’s absolutely big enough to warrant close surveillance—typically imaging every 6 to 12 months depending on your risk factors. The fact that your doctor told you to stop smoking is good advice (that part matters), but the silence beyond that is concerning. You deserve a full conversation about what this means for your future: what to watch for, what your growth rate is, whether you should be referred to a vascular surgeon now for monitoring, and what lifestyle changes are critical beyond quitting smoking.
Trust your instinct. If you’re feeling ignored or underinformed, you may very well need a more proactive and communicative provider. You are not overreacting. This is your life and your aorta—we only get one of each. Knowledge is power here. Knowing about your aneurysm means you can act with intention. There’s a lot you can do to manage risk, but you need a medical team that walks that path with you. Peace.