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Association of MTHFR gene polymorphisms with pancreatic cancer: meta-analysis of 17 case–control studies

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Abstract

Background

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a seriously malignant tumor with a low 5-year survival rate. The relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and PC has been reported by several studies. However, the results were controversial. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize available data on MTHFR gene and PC.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang, CNKI databases prior to July 2019. Data were analyzed by RevMan 5.3 and STATA 12.0 software. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the strength of the association. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis and assessment of publication bias were performed in this study.

Results

Ten articles with 17 reports (10 for C677T, 7 for A1298C) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis (1864 cases and 3165 controls for C677T, and 1488 cases and 1946 controls for A1298C). Our meta-analysis detected that C677T was associated with PC for three genetic models (allele model: OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.00–1.53, P = 0.047; recessive model: OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.04–1.86, P = 0.027; homozygous model: OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.04–2.45, P = 0.034). In the stratified analyses according to ethnicity, source of controls and genotyping method, significant association was observed in genotyping method subgroup. For the A1298C polymorphism, no significant association was observed either in overall analysis or in subgroup analysis under all genetic models.

Conclusions

MTHFR gene C677T rather than A1298C polymorphism may be associated with PC. Larger sample size studies should be performed to find the association between MTHFR gene and PC.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81573240). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Fangfang Nie, Kaili Zhang, Luping Yang, Qian Zhang, Shan Liu, Mengwei Liu, Mengke Shang, Fanxin Zeng & Wanyang Liu

  2. Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China

    Mingli Yu

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  1. Fangfang Nie
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Correspondence to Wanyang Liu.

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Nie, F., Yu, M., Zhang, K. et al. Association of MTHFR gene polymorphisms with pancreatic cancer: meta-analysis of 17 case–control studies. Int J Clin Oncol 25, 312–321 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-019-01571-2

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