Genetic obesity link to aggressive lymphoma opens new research path
Researchers found that people genetically predisposed to higher body weight face an 18% increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The discovery, based on genetic analysis of over 20,000 patients, could reshape oncology screening protocols and inform pharmaceutical development targeting obesity-related cancer mechanisms.
Originaltitel: Genetically determined body mass index is associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in polygenic and Mendelian randomization analyses
<p>Obesity has been associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but the evidence is inconclusive. We examined the association between genetically determined adiposity and four common NHL subtypes: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and marginal zone lymphoma, using eight genome-wide association studies of European ancestry (<em>N</em> = 10,629 cases, 9505 controls) and constructing polygenic scores for body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHRadjBMI). Higher genetically determined BMI was associated with an increased risk of DLBCL [odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation (SD) = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.05–1.33, <em>p</em> = .005]. This finding was consistent with Mendelian randomization analyses, which demonstrated a similar increased risk of DLBCL with higher genetically determined BMI (OR<sub>per SD</sub> = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02–1.23, <em>p</em> = .03). No significant associations were observed with other NHL subtypes. Our study demonstrates a positive link between a genetically determined BMI and an increased risk of DLBCL, providing additional support for increased adiposity as a risk factor for DLBCL.</p>