Background and aims: Previously, TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms have been implicated as risk factors for various cancers. Several studies have been conducted on the association of TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms with susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and have yielded inconclusive results. The aim of the present study was to assess possible associations of NPC risk with TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms.
Methods: We conducted a search in Medline, EMBASE, OVID, ScienceDirect, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) without a language limitation, covering all papers published until November 2008. The associated literature was acquired through deliberate searching and selected based on the established inclusion criteria for publications.
Results: Consequently, five studies including 394 cases and 606 controls met the included criteria and thus were selected. Ultimately, relevant data were extracted and further analyzed using systematic meta-analyses. The results showed that individuals carrying wild homozygote Arg/Arg genotype have a decreased risk of NPC compared with those carrying Pro/Pro genotype (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.70). For Pro allele, no evidence indicated that individuals with a combined Pro genotype (Arg/Pro+Pro/Pro) have a significant risk of NPC compared with those with Arg/Arg genotype (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.62-1.07). For Arg allele, individuals with a combined Arg genotype (Arg/Pro+Arg/Arg) have a marked decreased susceptibility to NPC relative to those with homozygote Pro/Pro genotype.
Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms may be a risk factor for NPC. Homozygote Pro/Pro genotype could significantly increase susceptibility to NPC, whereas Arg allele markedly decreases NPC risk.