ABO blood type and cancer susceptibility: Unraveling the complex relationship

Different human diseases have been associated with specific blood groups. Numerous studies have promulgated their findings regarding the probable onset of various cancers based on the type of ABO blood group. However, the findings have been conflicting. This review primarily aims to summarize research findings from around the world to investigate the relationship between the risk of cancer occurrence and ABO blood group. Google Scholar, PubMed, Research4Life, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant papers published before January 2023. Research papers related to common types of cancers were adequately and critically studied to determine the link between ABO blood groups and the risk of developing cancers. The results were ambiguous, as the findings were inconsistent regarding the relationship between ABO blood groups and cancer development. Therefore, more comprehensive research is needed to validate this relationship. This mini-systematic review emphasizes the need for additional thorough investigations to establish a clear correlation because of the inconsistent results.