Assessment of the Relationship Between ABO Blood Group and Familial Cancer Occurrence in Kirkuk City

Background: The potential connection between blood types and cancer risk has become a puzzling yet intriguing area of research in recent years; while its association is widely assessed with cancer occurrence, it is not well assessed in case of hereditary cancers. This study aimed to assess the relation between ABO blood groups and the occurrence of familial cancers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Kirkuk city from the period 15th October 2023 to 15th April 2024 on 398 patients diagnosed with cancer. The study included three groups: patients with a family history of cancer in first-degree relatives (n=90), no family history (n=288), and second-degree relatives (n=20). Data was collected from both medical records and patient interviews, focusing on demographic details, lifestyle habits, medical history. In-depth interviews provided further details on lifestyle patterns, including smoking habits, alcohol use, eating habits, medical conditions, medication use, viral infections, and exposure to chemicals or radiation. Results: Significant differences were noted in age distribution, with the 38-47 and 48-57 age groups being more common in the first-degree and no family history groups, respectively. Sex distribution showed a higher proportion of females in the first-degree and second-degree groups (P=0.017). There were higher proportions of high socioeconomic status in the second-degree group and married individuals in the first-degree and second-degree groups compared to non-familial cancers. Breast cancer was more prevalent in the first-degree and second-degree groups. Adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, Body-Mass-Index, cancer type, and health related habits, O- blood group was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of familial cancer history in first-degree relatives (OR: 14.083, P=0.024) compared to non-familial ones. Other blood groups did not show significant associations. Conclusion: There might be an association between familial cancer O- blood group that needs to be re-evaluated in further studies.