title: TERT-CLPTM1L polymorphism rs401681 contributes to cancers risk: evidence from a meta-analysis based on 29 publications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some common genetic variants of TERT-CLPTM1L gene, which encode key protein subunits of telomerase, have been suggested to play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. The TERT-CLPTM1L polymorphism rs401681 was of special interest for cancers risk but with inconclusive results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis of 29 publications with a total of 91263 cases and 735952 controls. We assessed the strength of the association between rs401681 and overall cancers risk and performed subgroup analyses by cancer type, ethnicity, source of control, sample size and expected power. Rs401681 C allele was found to be associated with marginally increased cancers risk, with per allele OR of 1.04 (95%CI = 1.00-1.08, P(heterogeneity)<0.001) and an expected power of 1.000. Following further stratified analyses, the increased cancers risk were discovered in subgroups of lung, bladder, prostate, basal cell carcinomas and Asians, while a declined risk of pancreatic cancer and melanoma were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggested that rs401681 C allele was a low-penetrance risk allele for the development of cancers of lung, bladder, prostate and basal cell carcinoma, but a potential protective allele for melanoma and pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jieyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Yangkai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Shaofa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C422445:CLPTM1L protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019098:Telomerase