Association between cancer incidence and survival in ASPREE with apo(a) genotype

Elevated serum lipoprotein(a) has been shown to be a prognostic marker for reduced survival in some types of cancer. Apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)) determines Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels; smaller apo(a) isoforms lead to higher Lp(a) concentrations, while larger isoforms are less secreted, causing lower levels, creating a strong inverse correlation between apo(a) size and Lp(a) serum levels. Genetics is the primary driver of these variations. Lp(a) is a complex particle containing both apo(a) and an LDL-like structure, and its size variation is key to its variable risk for cardiovascular disease, and as some evidence suggests, cancer. The ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) study has data on the apo(a) genotype of those participants who provided blood samples at study enrolment (approximately 12,200),. This project would explore the relationship between the apo(a) genotype and cancer incidence and survival, stratifying by age and cancer type.