ABO blood types and cancer risk—A cohort study of 339,432 subjects in Taiwan

Abstract

Background The associations of laboratory-based ABO phenotypes with cancer risks and mortality have not been systematically determined. Methods The study subjects were 339,432 healthy individuals with laboratory-based blood types from a Taiwan cohort. Results Compared to blood type O, blood type A was significantly associated with an elevated risk of stomach cancer incidence (Hazard Ratio [HR], 1.38 [95% CI, 1.11–1.72]) and mortality (HR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.02–1.86]) compared with blood type O, after adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and body mass index. Non-O blood types were associated with an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer, with blood type B reaching statistical significance for incidence (HR, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.02–2.48]) and mortality (HR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.02–2.60]). In contrast, kidney cancer risk was inversely associated with blood type AB (HR, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.18–0.93]) compared to type O. Conclusion Cancer risks vary in people with different ABO blood types, with elevated risks of stomach cancer associated with blood type A and pancreatic cancer associated with non-O blood types (A, B, and AB).

ABO blood type and the risk of cancer – Findings from the Shanghai Cohort Study

“…A cross-sectional study in northern China found that blood type A was associated with statistically significant 30–40% higher risk of intestinal metaplasia or gastric dysplasia, the most advanced pre-malignant lesions in the stomach, in people with blood type A than in those with other blood types [ 15 ]. A recent prospective cohort study in a Taiwanese population showed that blood type A was associated with a 38% increased risk of stomach cancer [ 16 ]. The present study found a 26% increased risk of gastric cancer for blood type A as compared with blood types B and O (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.06–1.51, P = 0.011), consistent with findings of earlier studies in Chinese as well as in Western populations.…”

Position of human blood group O(H) and phenotype‐determining enzymes in growth and infectious disease

“…Clonal selection and the principle of glycosidic, phenotypic accommodation explained above have been postulated to contribute to the increased risk of human blood group A individuals developing different types of cancer, and the naturally occurring anti‐A‐reactive isoagglutinins and anti‐Tn‐cross‐reactive antibodies clearly interact with tumor‐associated O ‐glycan structures produced in pancreatic cancer . In a recent cancer risk cohort study, Sun et al . described a statistically significant risk of stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer in blood group A individuals compared with blood group O(H) individuals, while kidney cancer risk was inversely associated with blood type AB.…”

“…Clonal selection and the principle of glycosidic, phenotypic accommodation explained above have been postulated to contribute to the increased risk of human blood group A individuals developing different types of cancer, 15 and the naturally occurring anti-A-reactive isoagglutinins and anti-Tn-cross-reactive antibodies clearly interact with tumor-associated O-glycan structures produced in pancreatic cancer. 27 In a recent cancer risk cohort study, Sun et al 28 described a statistically significant risk of stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer in blood group A individuals compared with blood group O(H) individuals, while kidney cancer risk was inversely associated with blood type AB. A comprehensive study by Vasan et al 29 showed positive associations in blood group A individuals with cancer of the pancreas, breast, salivary glands, mouth, stomach, and chronic lymphatic leukemia and in blood group B individuals with cancer of the corpus uteri and the bladder; however, inverse associations were observed in blood group A individuals for pharyngeal cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and small intestinal cancer and in blood group B individuals for pleural mesothelioma and myelomas.…”

ABO Blood Types and Risk of Testicular Cancer in Turkish Population: Preliminary Results

“…ABO blood type was first discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900 and has been widely studied in various diseases and blood transfusion complications (1). ABO blood type was suggested to be associated with various types of cancer such as lung cancer (2), prostate cancer, bladder cancer (3) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (4).…”