Journal Article DKFZ-2026-01683

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png
Genetically proxied inhibition of cholesterol-lowering drug targets and survival in HPV-positive and non-HPV driven head and neck cancer: a multicentre MR study.

 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;

2026
AACR Philadelphia, Pa.

Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention nn, nn () [10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-26-0066]
 GO

Abstract: Cholesterol pathways may influence head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression, but evidence on prognosis is inconsistent. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to test whether genetically proxied inhibition of major LDL-C-lowering drug targets and circulating lipid traits affects overall survival (OS) in HPV-positive and non-HPV driven HNSCC.We proxied lifelong LDL-C lowering using 55 cis-acting SNPs in HMGCR, NPC1L1, PCSK9, and LDLR from the updated 2021 Global Lipids Genetics Consortium, and instrumented circulating lipid traits. Two-sample MR estimated effects on OS in 4,869 multi-centre HNSCC cases (1,291 HPV-positive; 3,578 non-HPV driven) using minimally adjusted Cox models. Sensitivity analyses additionally adjusted for tumour stage and treatment, assessed collider bias using an external HNSCC incidence GWAS, and examined between-centre heterogeneity and colocalization.Using the updated GLGC 2021 instruments, genetically proxied HMGCR inhibition showed a directionally protective but non-significant association with OS in HPV-positive oropharyngeal HNSCC in the primary analysis (IVW HR=0.19, 95% CI 0.03-1.18; P=0.08), with directionally concordant weighted median results. No corresponding protective association was observed for HMGCR in non-HPV-driven disease (IVW HR=1.68, 95% CI 0.78-3.63; P=0.19). No clear evidence of association was observed for NPC1L1, PCSK9, LDLR, or circulating lipid traits in either HPV stratum. Colocalization did not support a shared causal variant.These analyses provide suggestive evidence that genetically proxied HMGCR inhibition may influence survival in HPV-positive oropharyngeal HNSCC.HMGCR-related pathways may be relevant to prognosis in HPV-positive oropharyngeal HNSCC, whereas clear survival effects of other cholesterol-lowering targets were not supported.

Classification:

Note: epub

Contributing Institute(s):
  1. Infektionen und Krebsepidemiologie (C230)
Research Program(s):
  1. 313 - Krebsrisikofaktoren und Prävention (POF4-313) (POF4-313)

Appears in the scientific report 2026
Database coverage:
Medline ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection
Click to display QR Code for this record

The record appears in these collections:
Document types > Articles > Journal Article
Public records
Publications database

 Record created 2026-07-08, last modified 2026-07-09



Rate this document:

Rate this document:
1
2
3
 
(Not yet reviewed)