Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) is a predictor of incident colorectal cancer: a population-based longitudinal study

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC), which is related with insulin resistance, is a one of the most common cancers. Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) was made for a marker of insulin resistance. We conducted the investigation of association between TyG index and incident CRC.

Methods: We examined the affect of TyG index on incident CRC in this historical cohort study of 27,944 (16,454 men and 11,490 women) participants. TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2]. The impact of TyG index on incident CRC was investigated using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise, systolic blood pressure and creatinine. The covariate-adjusted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve calculated the area under the curve (AUC) and cut-off value of TyG index for the incidence of CRC.

Results: During the median 4.4-year follow-up, 116 participants were diagnosed as CRC. The cumulative incidence rate of CRC were 0.4%. In Cox proportional hazard model, the HRs of TyG index were 1.38 (95% Confidence interval (CI), 1.00-1.91, p = 0.049) after adjusting for covariates. In the covariate-adjusted ROC curve analysis, the cut-off value of TyG index for incident CRC was 8.272 (AUC 0.687 (95%CI, 0.637-737, sensitivity = 0.620, specificity = 0.668, p < 0.001)).

Conclusions: TyG index can predict the onset of CRC. For early detection of CRC, we should encourage people with high TyG index to undergo screening for CRC.

Keywords: Cohort study; Colorectal cancer; Epidemiology; Insulin resistance; TyG index.