title: PLCE1 polymorphism and upper gastrointestinal cancer risk: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, the PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphism has been extensively investigated as a potential risk factor for upper gastrointestinal cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cancer. However, the results of these studies have been inconsistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  A meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies was performed including more than 11,000 subjects with genotyped PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphisms. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were employed to assess the association of the PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphism with a susceptibility to ESCC or gastric cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant increase in the risk of ESCC was associated with the PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphism. This included the homozygous genetic model (OR = 1.46), heterozygous genetic model (OR = 1.25) and allelic genetic model (OR = 1.23). Similar results were consistently found for gastric cancer. In a subgroup analysis, the PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphism was found to be a very sensitive marker for gastric cardia cancer as shown by the homozygous genetic model (OR = 2.23), heterozygous genetic model(OR = 1.59) and allelic genetic model (OR = 1.47). The risk associations of all of the gastric cardia cancer models were statistically significant. In contrast, none of the genetic models for non-cardia gastric cancer were significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this meta-analysis, the PLCE1 rs2274223 polymorphism was confirmed to have a statistically significant association with an increasing risk of ESCC and gastric cancer. The increase risk was especially observed for gastric cardia cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ning-Bo
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Ya-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Bai-Jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shi-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017594:Publication Bias; D012307:Risk Factors; D041742:Upper Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C; C423320:phospholipase C epsilon