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Reproductive Factors, Sex Hormone Levels, and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Risk : A Mendelian Randomization Study

Park, See Hyun ; Sugier, Pierre Emmanuel ; Asgari, Yazdan ; Karimi, Mojgan ; Kaaks, Rudolf ; Fortner, Renée Turzanski ; Schulze, Matthias ; Agnoli, Claudia ; Pasanisi, Fabrizio and Sacerdote, Carlotta , et al. (2025) In Thyroid
Abstract

Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is occurring three times more frequently in females than in males. However, the underlying biological mechanisms driving this discrepancy remain poorly understood. To investigate the causal role of sex hormones and reproductive factors in the risk of DTC, we implemented a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: We utilized genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics to explore these associations. GWAS data on DTC were derived from a meta-analysis of six studies including 7705 cases and 963,612 controls of European ancestry. GWAS summary statistics on sex hormones, reproductive factors, and gynecological conditions were retrieved from publicly available... (More)

Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is occurring three times more frequently in females than in males. However, the underlying biological mechanisms driving this discrepancy remain poorly understood. To investigate the causal role of sex hormones and reproductive factors in the risk of DTC, we implemented a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: We utilized genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics to explore these associations. GWAS data on DTC were derived from a meta-analysis of six studies including 7705 cases and 963,612 controls of European ancestry. GWAS summary statistics on sex hormones, reproductive factors, and gynecological conditions were retrieved from publicly available sources. We used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method to estimate odds ratio (OR), with additional sensitivity analyses and conducted multivariable MR (MVMR) to account for potential confounding by body mass index (BMI) and thyrotropin (TSH). Results: We identified a positive association between sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and DTC (ORivw = 1.13, p = 0.046). After controlling for TSH and BMI in a MVMR analysis, the strength of this association remained similar but lost statistical significance. Bioavailable testosterone also showed a positive but marginally significant association with DTC after adjustment for BMI in the MVMR (ORivw = 1.13, p = 0.07). Putative causal association was observed with uterine fibroids in females under 50 years old (ORivw = 1.52, p = 0.017). Endometrial cancer was associated with DTC (ORivw = 1.15, p = 9.0 × 10−3); however, a genetic correlation of r2 = 13% suggested potential pleiotropy. No significant associations were observed for other investigated factors. Conclusions: Our study does not provide strong evidence for a causal role of reproductive and hormonal factors in DTC risk, despite the observed sex disparity in incidence rates. The associations observed with SHBG, bioavailable testosterone, uterine fibroids, and endometrial cancer indicate potential risk factors, but further investigation is required.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
keywords
differentiated thyroid cancer, genetics epidemiology, hormones, Mendelian randomization, reproductive factors
in
Thyroid
publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:105001414981
  • pmid:40137860
ISSN
1050-7256
DOI
10.1089/thy.2024.0548
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: Copyright 2025, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
id
db958074-fcc0-487c-91c2-d6bf1ddb2c26
date added to LUP
2025-04-13 09:01:20
date last changed
2025-06-08 12:54:04
@article{db958074-fcc0-487c-91c2-d6bf1ddb2c26,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is occurring three times more frequently in females than in males. However, the underlying biological mechanisms driving this discrepancy remain poorly understood. To investigate the causal role of sex hormones and reproductive factors in the risk of DTC, we implemented a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: We utilized genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics to explore these associations. GWAS data on DTC were derived from a meta-analysis of six studies including 7705 cases and 963,612 controls of European ancestry. GWAS summary statistics on sex hormones, reproductive factors, and gynecological conditions were retrieved from publicly available sources. We used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method to estimate odds ratio (OR), with additional sensitivity analyses and conducted multivariable MR (MVMR) to account for potential confounding by body mass index (BMI) and thyrotropin (TSH). Results: We identified a positive association between sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and DTC (OR<sub>ivw</sub> = 1.13, p = 0.046). After controlling for TSH and BMI in a MVMR analysis, the strength of this association remained similar but lost statistical significance. Bioavailable testosterone also showed a positive but marginally significant association with DTC after adjustment for BMI in the MVMR (OR<sub>ivw</sub> = 1.13, p = 0.07). Putative causal association was observed with uterine fibroids in females under 50 years old (OR<sub>ivw</sub> = 1.52, p = 0.017). Endometrial cancer was associated with DTC (OR<sub>ivw</sub> = 1.15, p = 9.0 × 10<sup>−3</sup>); however, a genetic correlation of r<sup>2</sup> = 13% suggested potential pleiotropy. No significant associations were observed for other investigated factors. Conclusions: Our study does not provide strong evidence for a causal role of reproductive and hormonal factors in DTC risk, despite the observed sex disparity in incidence rates. The associations observed with SHBG, bioavailable testosterone, uterine fibroids, and endometrial cancer indicate potential risk factors, but further investigation is required.</p>}},
  author       = {{Park, See Hyun and Sugier, Pierre Emmanuel and Asgari, Yazdan and Karimi, Mojgan and Kaaks, Rudolf and Fortner, Renée Turzanski and Schulze, Matthias and Agnoli, Claudia and Pasanisi, Fabrizio and Sacerdote, Carlotta and Rodriguez-Barranco, Miguel and Aizpurua, Amaia and Cabrera Castro, Natalia and Guevara, Marcela and Tin Tin, Sandar and Weiderpass, Elisabete and de Vathaire, Florent and Lesueur, Fabienne and Guénel, Pascal and Mulot, Claire and Laurent-Puig, Pierre and Ostroumova, Evgenia and Boland-Auge, Anne and Deleuze, Jean François and Thomsen, Hauke and Försti, Asta and Elisei, Rosella and Gemignani, Federica and Landi, Stefano and Rinaldi, Sabina and Elbaz, Alexis and Domenighetti, Cloé and Truong, Thérèse}},
  issn         = {{1050-7256}},
  keywords     = {{differentiated thyroid cancer; genetics epidemiology; hormones; Mendelian randomization; reproductive factors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.}},
  series       = {{Thyroid}},
  title        = {{Reproductive Factors, Sex Hormone Levels, and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Risk : A Mendelian Randomization Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/thy.2024.0548}},
  doi          = {{10.1089/thy.2024.0548}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}