| Title: | Associations between infectious agents and subsequent cancer riska longitudinal analysis from the UK biobank. |
| Journal: | International Journal of Surgery |
| Published: | 9 Dec 2025 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41376377/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1097/js9.0000000000004420 |
Publication 17152
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence implicates infectious agents in carcinogenesis, yet the longitudinal associations between pathogen exposure and cancer risk remain incompletely characterized.</p>
METHODS: In this prospective study, we analyzed serological profiles of 20 pathogens (defining 45 antigens) in 9,427 UK Biobank participants. Over a mean follow-up of 13.7 years, we used Cox proportional hazards models to assess associations between pathogen seropositivity and the risk of 26 cancer types, adjusting for demographic and lifestyle covariates. Sex-stratified analyses was performed to evaluate the influence of sex on pathogen-cancer associations. Multiple testing was corrected using the Benjamini-Hochberg method with significance set at false discovery rate < 0.05.</p>
RESULTS: Distinct pathogen-cancer associations were identified, with multiple associations demonstrating sex-specific differences. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was positively associated with liver cancer, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) GroEL with stomach cancer. Human papillomavirus was linked to increased risks of oral and nasopharynx cancers. In contrast, higher levels of herpesviruses, human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus-1, human T-lymphotropic virus-1, and H. pylori antigens were inversely associated with colorectal cancer and malignant immunoproliferative diseases, predominantly in males. Elevated HCV levels were further associated with greater risks of bladder cancer in males, whereas higher hepatitis B virus levels were linked to increased risks of kidney and ureter cancers in females. In addition, Chlamydia trachomatis PorB was significantly associated with an increased risk of small cell lung cancer, with the association largely confined to females.</p>
CONCLUSION: Serological evidence of pathogen exposure reveals divergent associations with cancer risk, underscoring the complex interplay between infections and oncogenesis. These findings highlight the need for pathogen-specific screening in high-risk populations and mechanistic studies to unravel the complex roles of infections in oncogenesis.</p>
6 Authors
- Ting Ao
- Nan Wu
- Yingxiu Huang
- Ming Hu
- Peng Zhen
- Wentao Ni
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