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The impact of personality on the risk and survival of breast cancer: a Mendelian randomization analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2021

Li Ying ,
Songzan Chen ,
Ling Li  and
Zhijun Pan
Li Ying
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopaedics, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, Zhejiang 317000, China School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
Songzan Chen
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Ling Li
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Lab of Biotherapy in Zhejiang, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Zhijun Pan*
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China
*
Author for correspondence: Zhijun Pan, E-mail: zrpzj@zju.edu.cn
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Abstract

Background

It has long been hypothesized that personality plays a causative role in incidence and outcome of breast cancer (BC), but epidemiological evidence of association between personality and BC is inconsistent.

Method

We used two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to estimate the impact of personality on the risk and survival of BC. In total, 109 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were utilized as instruments of neuroticism from a large-scale Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), and five SNPs were utilized as instruments of extraversion from Genetic of Personality Consortium and 23andMe. Genetic association with the risk and survival of overall and individual subtype BC were obtained from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium.

Result

Neuroticism is significantly associated with the risk of overall BC [odds ratio (OR) 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.11; p = 0.015] and the risk of luminal A BC (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.03–1.16; p = 0.004). Extraversion is not associated with the risk of BC. None of neuroticism or extraversion is associated with the survival of BC.

Conclusion

Neuroticism was associated with a modest increased risk of BC and particularly luminal A BC.

Keywords

Breast cancerextraversionMendelian randomizationneuroticismpersonality
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 53 , Issue 1 , January 2023 , pp. 267 - 273
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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