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Multiple types of lung cancer are independently associated with sepsis risk, according to results published in Scientific Reports. The researchers assessed potential associations between numerous cancer types, sepsis, and 28-day sepsis-related mortality. Using univariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, they identified significant causal relationships between sepsis and genetically predicted lung cancer (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08–1.26; adjusted P=0.001), squamous cell lung carcinoma (OR, 1.10, 95% CI, 1.02–1.18; adjusted P=0.042), lung adenocarcinoma (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03–1.21; adjusted P=0.032), and small cell lung carcinoma (OR=1.07; 95% CI, 1.02–1.12; adjusted P=0.031). Subsequent multivariable MR analysis showed that these three types of lung cancer were independently associated with sepsis risk. Additionally, the researchers observed a causal relationship between lung cancer and 28-day sepsis mortality. The findings emphasize “the importance of clinicians paying closer attention to the risk for subsequent infections and sepsis in [patients with lung cancer], which may help reduce the incidence and mortality of sepsis in this population,” the researchers wrote.