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Hypothyroidism and glioblastoma risk: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Liying Zhou1,2, Changyou Yin3, Wei Zhao3
1Department of Rehabilitation, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yuhuangding East Street, Yantai City, Shandong Province 264000, China.
Neuro Endocrinology Letters
|March 31, 2026
Summary
Hypothyroidism may protect against glioblastoma (GBM) risk, according to a Mendelian randomization study. Genetic evidence suggests a potential causal link, but further research is needed for confirmation.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Observational studies suggest a link between hypothyroidism and glioblastoma (GBM) risk.
- Causality requires further investigation beyond observational data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between hypothyroidism and glioblastoma risk.
- Utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess genetic evidence.
Main Methods:
- Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study using European ancestry GWAS summary data.
- Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) as the primary analysis method.
- Sensitivity analyses using MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode.
Main Results:
- Twenty-nine hypothyroidism-associated SNPs served as genetic instruments.
- IVW analysis revealed a significant protective effect of hypothyroidism on GBM risk (OR = 0.759, p = 0.016).
- Consistent protective associations were observed across multiple MR sensitivity analyses, with no evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy.
Conclusions:
- Mendelian randomization provides preliminary genetic evidence for a protective association between hypothyroidism and glioblastoma risk.
- The findings are hypothesis-generating due to the limited sample size (N=406).
- Replication in larger cohorts is warranted for definitive conclusions.
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