Article,
Association between pre-diagnostic circulating lipid metabolites and colorectal cancer risk: a nested case–control study in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
Contributors
Viallon, Vivian
0000-0002-9799-4421
[1]
Wedekind, Roland
0000-0003-1364-7666
[1]
Prehn, Cornelia
0000-0002-1274-4715
[5]
Adamski, Jerzy
0000-0001-9259-0199
[5]
[6]
[7]
Schmidt, Julie A
0000-0002-7733-8750
[8]
[9]
Jacobs, Inarie
0000-0002-5989-5414
[1]
Tjønneland, Anne Marie
0000-0003-4385-2097
[10]
[11]
Katzke, Verena Andrea
0000-0002-6509-6555
[13]
Schulze, Matthias Bernd
0000-0002-0830-5277
[14]
[15]
Prada, Marcela
0000-0002-1159-417X
[15]
Agnoli, Claudia
0000-0003-4472-1179
[17]
Sacerdote, Carlotta
0000-0002-8008-5096
[19]
Jakszyn, Paula Gabriela
0000-0003-0672-8847
[20]
[21]
Castilla, Jesús
0000-0002-6396-7265
[25]
[26]
Van Guelpen, Bethany Rae
0000-0002-9692-101X
[30]
Heath, Alicia K
0000-0001-6517-1300
[31]
Papier, Keren
0000-0002-4102-6835
[3]
Tong, Tammy Y N
0000-0002-0284-8959
[3]
Summers, Scott Andrew
0000-0002-4919-0592
[32]
Playdon, Mary Christine
0000-0001-6082-0447
[32]
[33]
Chajès, Véronique
0000-0003-1297-3064
[1]
Gunter, Marc James
0000-0001-5472-6761
[1]
[31]
Affiliations
- [1] International Agency for Research on Cancer [NORA names: France; Europe, EU; OECD];
- [2] Institut Gustave Roussy [NORA names: France; Europe, EU; OECD];
- [3] University of Oxford [NORA names: United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [4] Tel Aviv University [NORA names: Israel; Asia, Middle East; OECD];
- [5] Helmholtz Zentrum München [NORA names: Germany; Europe, EU; OECD];
(... more)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Altered lipid metabolism is a hallmark of cancer development. However, the role of specific lipid metabolites in colorectal cancer development is uncertain. METHODS: In a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), we examined associations between pre-diagnostic circulating concentrations of 97 lipid metabolites (acylcarnitines, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids) and colorectal cancer risk. Circulating lipids were measured using targeted mass spectrometry in 1591 incident colorectal cancer cases (55% women) and 1591 matched controls. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between concentrations of individual lipid metabolites and metabolite patterns with colorectal cancer risk. FINDINGS: Of the 97 assayed lipids, 24 were inversely associated (nominally p < 0.05) with colorectal cancer risk. Hydroxysphingomyelin (SM (OH)) C22:2 (ORper doubling 0.60, 95% CI 0.47-0.77) and acylakyl-phosphatidylcholine (PC ae) C34:3 (ORper doubling 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.87) remained associated after multiple comparisons correction. These associations were unaltered after excluding the first 5 years of follow-up after blood collection and were consistent according to sex, age at diagnosis, BMI, and colorectal subsite. Two lipid patterns, one including 26 phosphatidylcholines and all sphingolipids, and another 30 phosphatidylcholines, were weakly inversely associated with colorectal cancer. INTERPRETATION: Elevated pre-diagnostic circulating levels of SM (OH) C22:2 and PC ae C34:3 and lipid patterns including phosphatidylcholines and sphingolipids were associated with lower colorectal cancer risk. This study may provide insight into potential links between specific lipids and colorectal cancer development. Additional prospective studies are needed to validate the observed associations. FUNDING: World Cancer Research Fund (reference: 2013/1002); European Commission (FP7: BBMRI-LPC; reference: 313010).
