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Early Birds and Thyroid Cancer: Unveiling the Link Between Morningness and Thyroid Cancer Risk Through Mendelian
Haining Li1, Chongshi Zeng2, Xiao Han1
1College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China.
Brain and Behavior
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Morningness, or being an early bird, may be linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer (TC). While one method showed a significant association, further research is needed to confirm this link between circadian preference and TC.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Epidemiology
- Chronobiology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Global incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) is rising, necessitating investigation into potential risk factors.
- Morningness, a trait reflecting circadian preference, has been linked to various health conditions, including cancer.
- Understanding the relationship between sleep patterns and cancer risk is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal relationship between morningness and thyroid cancer risk using a Mendelian randomization (MR) framework.
- To assess the methodological challenges and implications of using MR for studying sleep characteristics and cancer.
- To provide insights into the design of future clinical research on circadian rhythms and cancer.
Main Methods:
- Utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with morningness from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as instrumental variables.
- Employed MR analyses including weighted median (WM), inverse variance weighting (IVW), and MR-Egger regression.
- Conducted sensitivity analyses for horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity to ensure the robustness of results.
Main Results:
- MR-Egger regression showed no significant association between morningness and TC risk (OR=1.02, p=0.98).
- Weighted median estimation indicated a non-significant positive association (OR=1.56, p=0.30).
- Inverse variance weighting revealed a significant positive association (OR=1.81, p=0.04), though this requires cautious interpretation.
Conclusions:
- Mendelian randomization analysis suggests a potential positive association between morningness and thyroid cancer risk.
- The significant finding from IVW warrants further investigation, but caution is advised due to conflicting results from other MR methods.
- Additional research is necessary to elucidate biological mechanisms and validate findings across diverse populations.
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