Fig. 1

Plasma metabolite concentrations and cancer risk. P values from Cox regression analyses on individual metabolite concentrations on the log-2 scale and cancer risk are represented by the needles. The blue dashed lines depict the significance threshold at an uncorrected P <0.05 and green dashed lines depict the significance threshold after Bonferroni correction (0.05 divided by 120). Unfilled circles indicate inverse associations and filled circles indicate direct associations. Metabolites are grouped by chemical properties: block 1, acylcarnitines; block 2, amino acids; block 3, biogenic amines; block 4, lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPCs); block 5, diacylphosphatidylcholines; block 6, acyl-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines; block 7, sphingolipids; and block 8, overall hexoses. All multivariable Cox regression models were adjusted for age, smoking (never, former, current), lifetime alcohol intake (g/d), current aspirin use (yes/no), physical activity (Cambridge index), waist circumference (cm), BMI (continuous), height (cm), and education level (primary school, secondary school, university degree). Analyses on breast cancer risk were additionally adjusted for menopausal status, current HRT use (yes/no), current oral contraceptive use (yes/no), and at least one full term pregnancy (yes/no). Analyses on colorectal cancer risk were additionally adjusted for sex, fiber intake (g/d), and processed meat intake (g/d)