MTHFR polymorphisms and pancreatic cancer risk: lack of evidence from a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer, but the published studies had yielded inconsistent results.We therefore performed the present meta-analysis. METHODS A search of Google scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library and CNKI databases before April 2012 was conducted to summarize associations of MTHFR polymorphisms with pancreatic cancer risk. Assessment was with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias were also calculated. RESULTS Four relative studies on MTHFR gene polymorphisms (C667T and A1298C) were involved in this meta-analysis. Overall, C667T(TT vs. CC:OR=1.61, 95%CI=0.78-3.34; TT vs. CT:OR=1.41, 95%CI=0.88-2.25; dominant model: OR=0.68, 95%CI=0.40-1.17; recessive model: OR=0.82, 95%CI=0.52-1.30) and A1298C(CC vs. AA:OR=1.01, 95%CI=0.47-2.17; CC vs. AC:OR=0.99,95%CI=0.46-2.14; dominant model: OR=1.01, 95%CI=0.47-2.20; recessive model: OR=1.01, 95%CI=0.80-1.26) did not increase pancreatic cancer risk. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis indicated that MTHFR polymorphisms (C667T and A1298C) were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk.