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Causal Associations between Serum Urea and Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Yandi Sun1,2, Jingjia Li1,2, Zihao Qu3,4
1Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Institute of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Genes
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Serum urea levels are causally linked to kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) in females, but not in males or for other cancers. This novel finding requires further investigation into the underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Oncology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Serum urea is a key indicator of kidney function.
- Limited evidence exists on serum urea levels as a cancer risk factor.
- Previous studies are constrained by potential biases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between serum urea levels and cancer development.
- To specifically examine the association with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using Mendelian randomization.
Main Methods:
- Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis utilizing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data.
- Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method with six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for serum urea.
- Sensitivity analyses using weighted median and MR-Egger methods.
- Utilized large-scale GWAS data for serum urea and RCC summary statistics.
Main Results:
- Serum urea showed an inverse association with RCC in females (OR=1.93, p=0.004).
- No significant association was found between serum urea and RCC in males.
- Null associations were observed for breast cancer and prostate cancer in both genders.
Conclusions:
- Serum urea levels are causally associated with renal cell carcinoma risk specifically in females.
- This study provides novel insights into the potential role of urea in cancer development.
- Further experimental and clinical research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved.
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