Associations between XPD Asp312Asn Polymorphism and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Based on 7,122 Subjects

BACKGROUND To investigate the association between XPD Asp312Asn polymorphism and head and neck cancer risk through this meta-analysis. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis of 9 published case-control studies including 2,670 patients with head and neck cancer and 4,452 controls. An odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association between XPD Asp312Asn polymorphism and head and neck cancer risk. RESULTS Overall, no significant association between XPD Asp312Asn polymorphism and head and neck cancer risk was found in this meta-analysis (Asn/Asn vs. Asp/Asp: OR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.80-1.13, P = 0.550, P(heterogeneity) = 0.126; Asp/Asn vs. Asp/Asp: OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.99-1.24, P = 0.065, P(heterogeneity) = 0.663; Asn/Asn+Asp/Asn vs. Asp/Asp: OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 0.97-1.19, P = 0.189, P(heterogeneity) = 0.627; Asn/Asn vs. Asp/Asp+Asp/Asn: OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.68-1.10, P = 0.243, P(heterogeneity) = 0.089). In the subgroup analysis by HWE, ethnicity, and study design, there was still no significant association detected in all genetic models. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis demonstrates that XPD Asp312Asn polymorphism may not be a risk factor for developing head and neck cancer.