A population-based cohort study of longitudinal change of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol impact on gastrointestinal cancer risk

High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) levels have been associated with cancer. In this observational population-based cohort study using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service system, we investigate the impact of longitudinal changes in HDL-C levels on gastrointestinal cancer risk. Individuals who underwent health examinations in 2010 and 2014 were followed-up through 2021. Among 3.131 million, 40696 gastric, 35707 colorectal, 21309 liver, 11532 pancreatic, 4225 gallbladder, and 7051 biliary cancers are newly detected. The persistent low HDL-C group increases the risk of gastric, liver, and biliary cancer comparing to persistent normal HDL-C group. HDL-C change from normal to low level increases the risk for gastric, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, gallbladder, and biliary cancers. Effects of HDL-C change on the gastrointestinal cancer risk are also modified by sex and smoking status. HDL-C changes affect the gastric and gallbladder cancer risk in age ≥60 years and the pancreatic and biliary cancer risk in age <60 years. Here, we show persistently low HDL-C and normal-to-low HDL-C change increase gastrointestinal cancer risk with discrepancies by sex, smoking status, and age.