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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

A prospective cohort examination of haematological parameters in relation to cancer death and incidence: the Busselton Health Study

Authors: Niwansa Adris, Anita Chai Geik Chua, Matthew William Knuiman, Mark Laurence Divitini, Debbie Trinder, John Kevin Olynyk

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Cancer risk is associated with serum iron levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether haematological parameters reflect serum iron levels and may also be associated with cancer risk.

Methods

We studied 1564 men and 1769 women who were enrolled in the Busselton Health Study, Western Australia. Haematological parameters evaluated included haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RCDW). Statistical analyses included t-tests for quantitative variables, chi-square tests for categorical variables and Cox proportional hazards regression modelling for cancer incidence and death.

Results

There was marginal evidence of an association between MCV (as a continuous variable) and non-skin cancer incidence in women (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.013, 1.302; p = 0.030) but the hazard ratio was attenuated to non-significance after adjustment for serum ferritin (SF), iron and transferrin saturation (TS) (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.972, 1.264; p = 0.126). There was strong evidence of an association between MCHC and prostate cancer incidence in men; the estimated hazard ratio for an increase of one SD (0.5) in MCHC was 1.27 (95% CI 1.064, 1.507; p = 0.008). These results remained significant after further adjustment for SF and iron; the estimated hazard ratio for an increase of one SD (0.5) in MCHC was 1.25 (p = 0.014, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.48).

Conclusions

The MCHC and MCV were associated with cancer incidence in a Western Australian population, although only MCHC remained associated with prostate cancer after adjusting with serum iron and TS (circulating iron) and SF (storage iron). Haematological parameters are thus of limited utility in population profiling for future cancer risk.
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Metadata
Title
A prospective cohort examination of haematological parameters in relation to cancer death and incidence: the Busselton Health Study
Authors
Niwansa Adris
Anita Chai Geik Chua
Matthew William Knuiman
Mark Laurence Divitini
Debbie Trinder
John Kevin Olynyk
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4775-x

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