Cigan SS, Meredith JJ, Kelley AC, Yang T, Langer EK, Hooten AJ, Lane JA, Cole BR, Krailo M, Frazier AL, Pankratz N, Poynter JN. Predicted leukocyte telomere length and risk of germ cell tumours. Br J Cancer. 2022 Jul;127(2):301-312. doi: 10.1038/s41416-022-01798-3. Epub 2022 Apr 2. PubMed PMID: 35368045; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9296514.
Study ID Citation
Abstract
Genetically predicted leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has been evaluated in several studies of childhood and adult cancer. We test whether genetically predicted longer LTL is associated with germ cell tumours (GCT) in children and adults. Paediatric GCT samples were obtained from a Children’s Oncology Group study and state biobank programs in California and Michigan (N = 1413 cases, 1220 biological parents and 1022 unrelated controls). Replication analysis included 396 adult testicular GCTs (TGCT) and 1589 matched controls from the UK Biobank. Mendelian randomisation was used to look at the association between genetically predicted LTL and GCTs and TERT variants were evaluated within GCT subgroups.