Genetic association between membranous nephropathy and malignancies: a two-sample Mendelian randomisation study

Various studies have reported that individuals with membranous nephropathy (MN) exhibit an elevated susceptibility to cancers. However, a causal relationship has not been clearly established.

We constructed a genetic score that predicts MN by utilizing genetic variants linked to this condition as instrumental variables. These genetic scores were then compared with lung, colon, breast, and prostate cancer risks by a two-sample Mendelian randomisation analysis involving the following methods: MR-Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted, simple mode, and weighted mode.

This study demonstrated a lack of empirical substantiation for a causal association between genetic variants in MN and the susceptibility to lung, colon, prostate, or breast cancer.

Overall, we did not detect a causal link between MN and lung, colon, breast, or prostate cancer. Hence, additional research is imperative to elucidate the underlying factors contributing to the heightened occurrence of tumour in patients with MN.