Causal Associations of Sleep Traits with Cancer Incidence and Mortality

Abstract

Abstract Inconsistent results regarding the relationship between sleep traits and cancer incidence and mortality exist. Using data from UK Biobank participants, we conducted multivariable Cox regression, linear and non-linear Mendelian randomization (MR), and survival curve analyses to simultaneously assess the independent impact of chronotype, sleep duration, and insomnia symptoms on pan-cancer risk and mortality, including all-cause mortality, 5-year cancer mortality, and cancer mortality among cancer patients. A definite evening chronotype, long sleep duration, and frequent insomnia symptoms were associated with higher pan-cancer risk and mortality among cancer patients and potential causal risk factors of mortality in patients with cancer. Long sleep duration also had a causal relationship with pan-cancer incidence. In addition, the current study showed that the genetically predicted morning chronotype was associated with a reduction in pan-cancer risk and mortality among patients with cancer. These results suggest that some sleep traits, such as longer sleep duration, evening chronotype, and insomnia, play individual and joint roles in pan-cancer risk and mortality among cancer patients, which could be beneficial from the morning chronotype. Our findings highlight the importance of sleep management in cancer prevention and prognosis.