Association between the Epithelial Cadherin - 160C/A Polymorphism and Colorectal Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between the epithelial cadherin (CDH1) -160C/A polymorphism and colorectal cancer (CRC) using a meta-analysis. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases was performed for relevant studies. Statistical analyses were carried out using Stata 12.0 to combine all of the relevant studies. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) values were applied to evaluate the strength of the association. Eight studies with 7231 cases and 7080 controls were included. The meta-analysis results showed that the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism was significantly associated with CRC risk (AA vs. CC: OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.71-1.36; CA vs. CC: OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.99; dominant model: OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.81-1.26; recessive model: OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.81-1.02). In the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, significant association was found between the CDH1 -160C > A polymorphism and CRC risk in Caucasians. In conclusion, the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism may be a susceptible predictor for the risk of CRC in Caucasians.