p53 codon 72 polymorphism and liver cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies

To evaluate the association between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and liver cancer risk by means of meta-analysis.

Two investigators independently searched the Medline, Embase and Chinese Biomedicine databases. Summary odds ratios and 95% CI for p53 codon 72 polymorphism and liver cancer were calculated in fixed-effects model (Mantel-Haenszel method) and random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird method) when appropriate.

This meta-analysis included 1115 liver cancer cases and 1778 controls. The combined results based on all studies showed that there was a statistically significant link between Pro/Pro genotype and liver cancer, but not between Arg/Arg or Pro/Arg genotype and liver cancer. When stratifying for race, similar results were obtained, i.e. patients with liver cancer had a significantly higher frequency of Pro/Pro genotype than non-cancer patients among Asians. After stratifying the various studies by control source, gender, family history of liver cancer and chronic hepatitis virus infection, we found that (1) patients among hospital-based studies had a significantly higher frequency of Pro/Pro and a significantly lower frequency of Arg/Arg genotype than individuals without cancer; (2) female patients with liver cancer had a significantly lower frequency of Arg/Arg and a higher frequency of Pro/Arg+Pro/Pro genotypes than female individuals without cancer; (3) subgroup analyses for family history of liver cancer did not reveal any significant association between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and liver cancer development; and (4) patients with negative hepatitis virus infection had a significantly higher frequency of Pro/Pro and a significantly lower frequency of Arg/Arg genotype than individuals without cancer.

This meta-analysis suggests that the p53 codon 72 polymorphism may be associated with liver cancer among Asians.