Birthweight, genetic risk, and gastrointestinal cancer incidence: a prospective cohort study

Lu Long; Heng He; Qian Shen; Hongxia Peng; Xiaorui Zhou; Haoxue Wang; Shanshan Zhang; Shifan Qin; Zequn Lu; Ying Zhu; Jianbo Tian; Jiang Chang; Xiaoping Miao; Na Shen; Rong Zhong

doi:10.1080/07853890.2022.2146743

Annals of Medicine (Dec 2023)

Birthweight, genetic risk, and gastrointestinal cancer incidence: a prospective cohort study

Lu Long,
Heng He,
Qian Shen,
Hongxia Peng,
Xiaorui Zhou,
Haoxue Wang,
Shanshan Zhang,
Shifan Qin,
Zequn Lu,
Ying Zhu,
Jianbo Tian,
Jiang Chang,
Xiaoping Miao,
Na Shen,
Rong Zhong

Affiliations

Lu Long: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Heng He: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
Qian Shen: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Hongxia Peng: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Xiaorui Zhou: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Haoxue Wang: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Shanshan Zhang: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Shifan Qin: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Zequn Lu: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Ying Zhu: School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
Jianbo Tian: School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
Jiang Chang: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Xiaoping Miao: School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
Na Shen: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, HUST, Wuhan, China
Rong Zhong: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2022.2146743
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 55, no. 1
pp. 62 – 71

Abstract

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AbstractBackground The epidemiologic studies investigating the association of birthweight and genetic factors with gastrointestinal cancer remain scarce. The study aimed to prospectively assess the interactions and joint effects of birthweight and genetic risk levels on gastrointestinal cancer incidence in adulthood.Methods A total of 254,997 participants were included in the UK Biobank study. We used multivariate restricted cubic splines and Cox regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidential intervals (CI) for the association between birthweight and gastrointestinal cancer risk, then constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS) to assess its interaction and joint effect with birthweight on the development of gastrointestinal cancer.Results We documented 2512 incident cases during a median follow-up of 8.88 years. Compare with participants reporting a normal birthweight (2.5–4.5 kg), multivariable-adjusted HR of gastrointestinal cancer incidence for participants with high birthweight (≥4.5 kg) was 1.17 (95%CI: 1.01–1.36). Such association was remarkably observed in pancreatic cancer, with an HR of 1.82 (95%CI: 1.26–2.64). No statistically significant association was observed between low birth weight and gastrointestinal cancers. Participants with high birthweight and high PRS had the highest risk of gastrointestinal cancer (HR: 2.95, 95%CI: 2.19–3.96).Conclusion Our findings highlight that high birthweight is associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal cancer, especially for pancreatic cancer. Benefits would be obtained from birthweight control, particularly for individuals with a high genetic risk.KEY MESSAGESThe epidemiologic studies investigating the association of birthweight and genetic factors with gastrointestinal cancer remain scarce.This cohort study of 254,997 adults in the United Kingdom found an association of high birthweight with the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer, especially for pancreatic cancer, and also found that participants with high birthweight and high polygenic risk score had the highest risk of gastrointestinal cancer.Our data suggests a possible effect of in utero or early life exposures on adulthood gastrointestinal cancer, especially for those with a high genetic risk.

Published in Annals of Medicine

ISSN: 0785-3890 (Print); 1365-2060 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/iann

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