HIF1A C1772T genetic variation is associated with the elevated risk of breast cancer among Asians: An updated meta-analysis

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) is considered to be one of the most malignant diseases. The microenvironment of BC is characterized as a hypoxic-like environment. Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is activated during hypoxic conditions, which can be generated by the BC microenvironment. Previous studies showed the relation between HIF genetic variations and BC, but were not well characterized. The objective of this meta-analysis is to analyze the relation of the HIF1A C1772T with BC by reviewing and analyzing established studies. All the data was gathered from nine studies that focused on HIF1A C1772T and BC. The literature was retrieved from electronic databases such as Web of Science, PubMed and Embase. All of the statistical data was subjected to either a fixed or random effects model to calculate OR and 95% confidence interval of pooled studies. The data was then analyzed by using the MetaGenyo web tool. This study did not find evidence for publication bias. The outcomes of the present study showed that HIF1A gene C1772T variant is not correlated with the risk of BC. However, sub-group studies by origin implied that the probability of BC was both strongly correlated with the HIF1A C1772T variant and significantly elevated among Asians. In summary, this study suggests that the probability of BC associated with the HIF1A C1772T variant was significantly higher in Asians compared to Caucasians.