title: No association between the GSTM1 null genotype and risk of renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have focused on possible associations between the glutathione S-transferase M 1 (GSTM1) null genotype and risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but the impact remains unclear owing to obvious inconsistencies among the findings. The present study aimed to quantify the strength of any association in a meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the PubMed, Embase and CBM databases for studies concerning the association between the GSTM1 null genotype and risk of RCC. We estimated the summary odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to assess the association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The meta-analysis showed the GSTM1 null genotype was not associated with risk of RCC overall (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.92-1.18, P = 0.501). For Caucasians, the GSTM1 null genotype was also not associated with risk of RCC (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.90-1.16, P = 0.761). The cumulative meta-analyses showed a trend of no obvious association between GSTM1 null genotype and risk of RCC as information accumulated. Sensitivity analyses by omitting those studies also did not materially alter the overall combined ORs. No evidence of publication bias was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meta-analyses of available data show that the GSTM1 null genotype is not significantly associated with risk of renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D005982:Glutathione Transferase