MSH3 rs26279 polymorphism increases cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Previous studies have explored the link between the mutS homolog 3 (MSH3) rs26279 G > A polymorphism and various cancer risks, but findings remain inconsistent.
• The MSH3 gene plays a role in DNA mismatch repair, making its polymorphisms potential factors in cancer susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis to clarify the association between the MSH3 rs26279 G > A polymorphism and overall cancer risk.
• To provide a more precise estimation of the relationship between this genetic variation and cancer susceptibility.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE databases.
• Inclusion of 11 publications comprising 12 studies with 3282 cancer cases and 6476 controls.
• Statistical analysis using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess the strength of association under various genetic models.

Main Results:

• The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between the MSH3 rs26279 G > A polymorphism and increased overall cancer risk across all genetic models.
• The association was notably stronger for colorectal cancer and breast cancer.
• Significant associations were also observed in subgroups including Europeans, Asians, population-based and hospital-based studies, and studies with larger sample sizes (≥ 200).

Conclusions:

• The MSH3 rs26279 G > A polymorphism is a significant risk factor for developing cancer.
• This genetic variant is particularly associated with an elevated risk of colorectal and breast cancers.
• The findings support the role of MSH3 genetic variations in cancer susceptibility across diverse populations and study designs.