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).
Harewood R., Rothwell JA., Bešević J., Viallon V., Achaintre D., Gicquiau A., Rinaldi S., Wedekind R., Prehn C., Adamski J., Schmidt JA., Jacobs I., Tjønneland A., Olsen A., Severi G., Kaaks R., Katzke V., Schulze MB., Prada M., Masala G., Agnoli C., Panico S., Sacerdote C., Jakszyn PG., Sánchez M-J., Castilla J., Chirlaque M-D., Atxega AA., van Guelpen B., Heath AK., Papier K., Tong TYN., Summers SA., Playdon M., Cross AJ., Keski-Rahkonen P., Chajès V., Murphy N., Gunter MJ.
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