Inflammatory Bowel disease promote oral cancer and pharyngeal cancer: new evidence of Mendelian randomization
Chen Gui, Junyang Xie, Tianhao Liang, Yiyan Wang, Wenjing Liao, Lijuan Song, Xiaowen Zhang
Abstract
Background Evidence from observational studies shows that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD)] is a risk factor to Oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer (OC&PC) [comprising Oral cavity cancer (OCC) and Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC)], but it is unclear whether these diseases have potential causality.Objectives We aimed to explore the causal relationship between IBD and OC&PC.Materials and methods A mendelian randomized (MR) study was performed to estimate the causal relationship between IBD and OC&PC.Results The potential causal relationship was statistically significant between IBD and OCC (OR = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.27, p = .02), UC and OCC (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.01–1.27, p = .03), respectively. There was a universal null effect of IBD on OC&PC (IBD: OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.93–1.10, p = .74; UC: OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.92–1.10, p = .94; CD: OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.94–1.09, p = .69), and IBD on OPC (IBD: OR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.81–1.06, p = 0.26; UC: OR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.79–1.03, p = .12; CD: OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 0.94–1.15, p = .44).Conclusions and significance MR analyses support new evidence indicating there may be a positive causal effect of IBD (including UC) on OCC. Further investigation of the potential biological mechanisms is necessary.