Association between TCF7L2 polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility.

PubMed, Embase and CNKI databases were used to search the related studies investigating the correlation between TCF7L2 polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs, based on five genetic models, were applied to estimate the association betweenTCF7L2 polymorphisms and breast cancer. A fixed-effect model or a random-effect model was applied according to the between-study heterogeneity.

We analyzed six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TCF7L2 gene, namely rs12255372, rs7903146, rs7900150, rs3750805, rs1225404 and rs7003146. The increased risk of breast cancer was associated with TCF7L2 polymorphisms (22 vs. 11: OR=1.16, 95% CI=1.02-1.32; 22+12 vs. 11: OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.02-1.10; 22 vs. 11+12: OR=1.15, 95% CI=1.04-1.27; 2 vs. 1: OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.02-1.13; 12 vs. 11: OR=1.05, 95% CI=1.01-1.09). Among the locus, rs7903146 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk for breast cancer under five genetic models (TT vs. CC: OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.08-1.53; TT+CT vs. CC: OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.01-1.18; TT vs. CC+CT: OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.05-1.48; T vs. C: OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.04-1.19; CT vs. CC: OR=1.08, 95% CI=1.00-1.17). Additionally, rs7900150 also showed effects on the susceptibility of breast cancer (TT vs. AA: OR=1.22, 95% CI=1.07-1.39; TT+AT vs. AA: OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.00-1.14; TT vs. AA+AT: OR=1.21, 95% CI=1.07-1.37; T vs. A: OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.02-1.15; AT vs. AA: OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01-1.33). Meanwhile, we found that rs3750805 polymorphism could increased the risk for breast cancer (TT+AT vs. AA: OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.01-1.24).

Our meta-analysis demonstrates that TCF7L2 polymorphisms may increase the risk for breast cancer.