A prospective study of inflammatory biomarkers and growth factors and risk of glioma in the UK Biobank. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cote, David J.; Creed, Jordan H.; Samanic, Claudine M.; Gerke, Travis A.; Stampfer, Meir J.; Smith-Warner, Stephanie A.; Egan, Kathleen M.
• Is Part Of: Cancer epidemiology. Volume 75(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Glioma -- Glioblastoma -- Cohort -- Epidemiology -- Inflammation -- UK biobank; Cancer -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Carcinogenesis -- Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2021.102043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1877-7821

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose: The role of growth factors and inflammation in the onset of glioma is poorly understood, and conflicting reports of associations of circulating IGF-1 and inflammatory biomarkers with glioma risk exist in the literature. We examined associations between C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and glioma risk in the UK Biobank cohort. Methods: Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for glioma according to circulating biomarkers concentrations were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for age, sex, race, and education. Analyses were conducted separately for glioma overall and by glioma subtype. Results: We identified 417 incident glioma cases among 428, 537 participants with 3, 255, 815 person-years of follow up. Weak, non-significant associations were observed with increasing levels of these biomarkers for risk of glioma overall or by glioma subtype. Among women only, IGF-1 in the highest quartile was positively associated with glioma risk compared to the lowest quartile (HR=1.64, 95%CI: 1.03–2.60, p-trend=0.08), as was NLR (HR=1.54, 95%CI: 1.00–2.39, p-trend=0.05). Conclusion: In this prospective cohort, we found no significant associations between the inflammatory biomarkers CRP and WBC and the development of glioma. NLR and IGF-1 were associated with risk in women, but not men. When considered with previous studies, further investigation of NLR and IGF-1 as markers of glioma risk appears warranted, particularly in women. Highlights: This was a large study of more than 400, 000 participants in the UK Biobank. There were no significant associations between CRP and WBC and later risk of glioma. Higher NLR and IGF-1 were associated with higher risk in women, but not in men.