Causal Relationship Between Acromegaly and Colon Cancer: A Two-sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Abstract

Objective To determine the causal relationship between acromegaly and colon cancer by using two-sample Mendelian randomization. Methods Genetic loci closely related to acromegaly in the whole genome-wide association study (GWAS) were selected as tool variables, and the genetic data of colon cancer from different GWASs were analyzed by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).The inverse variance weighting method (IVW) of the random effect model was used for analysis, and MR-weighted median and MR-Egger methods were used to supplement the analysis. Results were presented as OR values. Results Four SNPs closely related to acromegaly were obtained as tool variables, and the multiplicity test of tool variables showed that P=0.59.Three methods were used to estimate causal effects.The IVW analysis were OR=1.00(0.99-1.001) and P=0.42;the MR-Egger analysis results were OR=1.00(0.99-1.001) and P=0.42;and the Weighted median analysis results were OR=1.00(1.00-1.001) and P=0.03.The sensitivity test showed that the confidence interval of the tool variable SNP passed through 0, indicating the robustness of the MR results. Conclusion Acromegaly is not an independent risk factor for colon cancer.

Keywords

• acromegaly
• colon cancer
• mendelian randomization
• causal inference