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Published on: January 21, 2020
Periodontitis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomisation Study
Irina Sergeeva1, Zhanzhi Meng1, Yong Ma1
1Department of Minimally Invasive Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Periodontitis (PD) does not significantly increase the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This Mendelian randomization study offers a new perspective on the PD-HCC relationship, potentially reducing patient anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Epidemiology
- Oral Health and Oncology
Background:
- Conflicting associations between periodontitis (PD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exist in observational studies.
- Previous research lacks robust evidence to establish a causal link between PD and HCC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal association between periodontitis and hepatocellular carcinoma using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
- To provide a genetically informed perspective on the relationship between oral health and liver cancer risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of European ancestry for periodontitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Employed the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method as the primary analysis, supported by MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and other MR techniques.
- Conducted pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests to ensure the validity of the instrumental variables.
Main Results:
- The primary IVW analysis indicated no significant effect of periodontitis on hepatocellular carcinoma risk across multiple analyses.
- Complementary MR methods consistently supported the finding of no significant association between PD and HCC.
- Pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests revealed no significant confounding factors, strengthening the reliability of the results.
Conclusions:
- This Mendelian randomization study concludes that there is no significant genetic causal relationship between periodontitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- The findings suggest that periodontitis may not be a direct risk factor for developing liver cancer.
- These results can help alleviate patient concerns and guide clinical management, avoiding unnecessary interventions for liver cancer prevention in periodontitis patients.
