High Circulating Platelet Count as a Risk Factor for Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Background

The association between platelet count (PLTC) and the risk of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remains unclear.

Methods

We analyzed 19 223 samples from public and internal cohorts to investigate the relationship between high PLTC and the risk of developing LUSC using the retrospective analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis (MRA).

Results

Elevated PLTC were detected in the population with lung cancer compared to healthy individuals (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41 [per 1-SD], 95% CI 1.13–1.75, p < 0.05). Furthermore, there is a significant association between elevated PLTC and an increased risk of LUSC based on an in-house cohort (OR = 1.63 [per 1-SD], 95% CI 1.08–2.45, p < 0.05). Individuals with high PLTC had an increased risk of developing LUSC using the inverse-variance weighting method (OR = 1.62 [per 1-SD], 95% CI 1.14–2.31, p < 0.05), an outcome that was directionally consistent across the weighted median, MR Egger, simple mode, and weighted modes methods (OR > 1.00). No pleiotropy (the MRA pleiotropy residual sum and outlier test p = 0.553) or heterogeneity (Cochran's Q statistic p = 0.777) was found in the MRAs. Besides PLTC, age and five other hematological parameters (e.g., red blood cell count) were identified as independent factors associated with the incidence of lung cancer or its subtype LUSC (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

High circulating PLTC may serve as a risk factor for lung squamous cell carcinoma.