title: Genetic variants and risk of cervical cancer: epidemiological evidence, meta-analysis and research review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More than 200 articles have been published in the past 20 years on associations between genetic variants and risk of cervical cancer but the results have generally been inconsistent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide a synopsis of the current understanding of the genetic architecture of the risk of cervical cancer by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic literature search by a two-stage strategy using PubMed and other databases on or before 31 March 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, case-control or cohort studies about the relationship between genetic variants and cervical cancer were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study outcomes were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval.We did the meta-analysis for genetic variants which had at least three data sources and for which the significant associations were assessed using the Venice criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 5605 publications were screened, of which 286 were eligible. Meta-analysis was conducted for 58 variants in 25 genes or loci. Fourteen variants in 11 genes or loci could increase the risk of cervical cancer and five variants in three genes or loci could decrease the risk. The epidemiological evidence of the association was graded as strong for four variants in CTLA4 and HLA DQB1, moderate for five variants in IL-1B, IL-10, XRCC3 and HLA DQA1, and weak for 10 variants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many genetic variants were associated with the risk of cervical cancer as supported by the epidemiological evidence in this meta-analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China; Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D059848:HLA-DQ alpha-Chains; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069050:HLA-DQA1 antigen; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; C110901:X-ray repair cross complementing protein 3; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: Epidemiological evidence; genetic variants; meta-analysis; uterine cervical neoplasms