Background: The XRCC1 polymorphisms have been implicated in bladder cancer risk, but individually published studies show inconsistent results. The aim of our study was to clarify the effects of XRCC1 variants on bladder cancer risk.
Methods: A systematic literature search up to September 13, 2012 was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE and Wanfang databases, and the references of retrieved articles were screened. Crude odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the associations between XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also evaluated.
Results: A total of 14 and 18 studies were eligible for meta-analyses of Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln, respectively. Regrouping was adopted in accordance with the most probable appropriate genetic models. No obvious heterogeneity between studies was found. For overall bladder cancer, the pooled odds ratios for Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln were 1.69 (95% confidence interval: 1.25 to 2.28; P = 0.001) and 1.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 1.19; P = 0.008), respectively. After excluding the studies that were not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the estimated pooled odds ratio still did not change at all.
Conclusions: The meta-analysis results suggest that XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms may be associated with elevated bladder cancer risk.