XPD Polymorphisms and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Cancer is associated with genetic variants of DNA repair genes that alter DNA repair capacity. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relations between the rs13181 and rs1799793 XPD gene polymorphisms and risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and gastric cancer.

Relevant publications were systematically sought from Web of Science, Pubmed, and China Academic Journals Full-text Database. The selection of eligible studies was performed by 2 independent authors. A total of 32 case-control studies were included. Meta-analyses were undertaken in all study participants and each ethnic group.

The risk of HCC was significantly increased with the XPD rs13181 G allele (P = 0.028, pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-1.80) in all study participants. A subgroup analysis by ethnicity showed that the association was significant in Chinese (P = 0.009, pooled OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.11-2.02), but not in Caucasians (P = 0.619, pooled OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.64-2.13). Meta-analysis of the XPD rs1799793 polymorphism and HCC showed an association between its variant T allele and increased HCC risk in all study participants (P = 0.017, pooled OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04-1.46, all Chinese). Our results showed no associations between the XPD rs13181 G allele and rs1799793 T allele and gastric cancer risk (rs13181: P = 0.298, pooled OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.92-1.31; rs1799793: P = 0.068, pooled OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 0.98-1.74).

This meta-analysis demonstrated that the XPD rs13181 G allele and rs1799793 T allele have significant associations with HCC and may be risk factors for HCC in the Chinese population. Current evidence indicated that they are not related to gastric cancer risk.