Insights into risk factors for basal cell carcinoma: a Mendelian randomization study

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is one of the most common skin cancers. However, risk factors for BCC, especially nonenvironmental features, have not been wholly identified. Consequently, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore possible causal risk factors in a cohort of millions of Europeans. We used data on genetic variants for risk factors from publicly available genome-wide association studies. This resulted in the present MR study that analysed 43 risk factors and demonstrates that telomere length [odds ratio (OR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-1.74, P < 0.001], birthweight (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26, P = 0.03) and height (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.13, P = 0.02) may casually be related to an increased risk of BCC. However, no genetic liability between BCC risk and other potential risk factors was noted. These findings may help contribute to identifying high-risk populations susceptible to BCC. Our Mendelian randomization study provides evidence that suggests telomere length, birthweight and height are possible risk factors for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). No genetic liability between BCC risk and other common causes of cancer, such as smoking, alcohol and body mass index, was observed. Our findings may help to distinguish high-risk populations susceptible to BCC.