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Coffee consumption and cancer risk: a Mendelian randomisation study
Paul Carter1, Shuai Yuan2, Siddhartha Kar3
1Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|September 6, 2022
Summary
Coffee consumption shows a causal link to increased esophageal cancer risk. This Mendelian randomization study found no overall cancer association but noted links with digestive system, multiple myeloma, and ovarian cancers.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Epidemiology
- Cancer Research
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- Observational studies suggest links between coffee consumption and cancer.
- Coffee contains numerous bioactive compounds with potential health effects.
- Causal relationships require robust investigation beyond observational data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal association between coffee consumption and a wide spectrum of cancers.
- Utilizing Mendelian randomization (MR) to leverage genetic variants as instrumental variables for coffee intake.
- To differentiate potential causal effects from mere associations.
Main Methods:
- Employed Mendelian randomization (MR) using 12 genetic variants for coffee consumption.
- Analyzed genetically predicted coffee consumption against overall and 22 site-specific cancers in UK Biobank participants (European ancestry).
- Conducted univariable and multivariable MR analyses, adjusting for key lifestyle factors.
Main Results:
- Genetically predicted coffee consumption was not associated with overall cancer risk.
- A significant causal association was found for increased risk of digestive system cancers, primarily esophageal cancer (OR 2.79).
- Increased risk for multiple myeloma (OR 2.25) and reduced risk for ovarian cancer (OR 0.63) were also observed.
Conclusions:
- Provides strong evidence for a causal link between coffee consumption and esophageal cancer.
- No consistent causal association was found for most other cancer types studied.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying these observed coffee-cancer associations.
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