title: MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism and head and neck cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 23 publications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conflicting results on the association between MTHFR polymorphism and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk were reported. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to derive a more precise relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and HNC risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three online databases of PubMed, Embase, and CNKI were researched on the associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and HNC risk. Twenty-three published case-control studies involving 4,955 cases and 8,805 controls were collected. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and HNC risk. Sensitivity analysis, cumulative analyses, and publication bias were conducted to validate the strength of the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, no significant association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and HNC risk was found in this meta-analysis (T versus C: OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.92-1.18; TT versus CC: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.90-1.46; CT versus CC: OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.85-1.17; CT + TT versus CC: OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.87-1.18; TT versus CC + CT: OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.98-1.26). In the subgroup analysis by HWE, ethnicity, study design, cancer location, and negative significant associations were detected in almost all genetic models, except for few significant risks that were found in thyroid cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis demonstrates that MTHFR C677T polymorphism may not be a risk factor for the developing of HNC.
authors: Department of Stomatology and Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
authors: Yu-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Niu
authors: The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Mo-Hong
authors: MH
authors: Deng
authors: Department of Radiology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, 32 South Renmin Road, Shiyan 442000, China.
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Chen
authors: Center for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors: Xian-Tao
authors: XT
authors: Zeng
authors: Department of Neurosurgery and Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Luo
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: C573423:MTHFR protein, human; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)