Quantitative assessment of the clinical susceptibility of calcium-sensing receptor polymorphisms in cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has suggested a relationship between calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) polymorphisms and cancer risk in different types of cancer; however, the findings from epidemiologic studies have been conflicting. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the clinical susceptibility of CASR polymorphisms in cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study systematically searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for eligible articles through March 2017. The strength of association was expressed as odds ratio and 95% CI. Publication bias, heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analyses were also examined. RESULTS: Fourteen related case–control studies were finally identified to be included in the present analysis. The pooled result showed that no significant associations were found among CASR rs1801725, rs1042636, rs12485716, rs4678174, rs1801726, rs17251221, rs10934578, and rs2270916 polymorphisms and cancer risk under all genetic models (P>0.05). The relationship between CASR rs1801725 polymorphism and risk of cancer was consistent in the subgroup analyses, and robust in sensitivity analysis. No publication bias was presented in our pooled-analysis. CONCLUSION: The current evidence for our pooled analysis suggests that the CASR polymorphisms are not associated with an increased risk of cancer. Further larger studies are still necessary to warrant and validate the findings in the current meta-analysis.