The CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism is associated with breast cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism and the risk of breast cancers. However, these studies have yielded conflicting results. To derive a more precise estimation of this association, this meta-analysis was conducted. METHODS: A comprehensive search using the keywords “CDH1,” “E-Cadherin,” “polymorphism,” “SNP,” and “variant” combined with “breast,” “cancer,” “tumor,” or “carcinomas” was conducted. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were appropriately calculated using a fixed effect or random effect model. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2009 checklist was used for this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Four publications including five studies were identified. It was found that the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism was significantly associated with breast cancer risk in the dominant model (CA + AA vs. CC: OR = 1.207, 95 % CI = 1.031–1.412, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the -160C/A polymorphism in the CDH1 gene might contribute to breast cancer susceptibility. Further investigations using a much larger sample including different ethnicities are still needed to verify this association. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-016-0927-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.