MTHFR Polymorphisms and Pancreatic Cancer Risk:Lack of Evidence from a Meta-analysis

Objective: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms have been reported tobe associated with pancreatic cancer, but the published studies had yielded inconsistent results.We thereforeperformed the present meta-analysis.
Methods: A search of Google scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library andCNKI databases before April 2012 was conducted to summarize associations of MTHFR polymorphisms withpancreatic cancer risk. Assessment was with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publicationbias 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 increasepancreatic cancer risk.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that MTHFR polymorphisms (C667T andA1298C) were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk.