Cigarette smoking and the risk of endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Epidemiologic findings are inconsistent concerning the association of endometrial cancer risk with cigarette smoking. We conducted a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies to examine this relation.


METHODS
A systematic literature search up to June of 2007 was performed in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Study-specific risk estimates were pooled using a random-effects model.


RESULTS
Ten prospective and 24 case-control studies were included in the analysis of the effect of ever smoking. Ever smoking was statistically significantly associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer among prospective studies (relative risk 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-0.88) and case-control studies (odds ratio 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66-0.79). The inverse association was significant among current and former smokers. Six prospective and 6 case-control studies were included in the quantitative analysis. We noted that an increase in smoking of 20 cigarettes per day was statistically significantly associated with 16% and 27% reduced risks of endometrial cancer in prospective and case-control studies, respectively. We also found that cigarette smoking was significantly associated with a decreased risk of endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women (relative risk 0.71; 95% CI, 0.65-0.78) but not among premenopausal women. In addition, the risk reduction seemed to be stronger among hormone replacement therapy users than nonusers.


CONCLUSIONS
Cigarette smoking was found to be significantly associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, especially among postmenopausal women.
Zhou
Bo
B
Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
Yang
Li
L
Sun
Qingmin
Q
Cong
Rihong
R
Gu
Haijuan
H
Tang
Naping
N
Zhu
Huaijun
H
Wang
Bin
B
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*