Lack of Associations of the COMT Val158Met Polymorphism with Risk of Endometrial and Ovarian Cancer: a Pooled Analysis of Case-control Studies

Abstract

This meta-analysis was conducted to examine whether the genotype status of Val158Met polymorphism in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is associated with endometrial and ovarian cancer risk. Eligible studies were identified by searching several databases for relevant reports published before January 1, 2014. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were appropriately derived from fixed-effects or random-effects models. In total, 15 studies (1,293 cases and 2,647 controls for ovarian cancer and 2,174 cases and 2,699 controls for endometrial cancer)were included in the present meta-analysis. When all studies were pooled into the meta-analysis, there was no evidence for significant association between COMT Val158Met polymorphism and ovarian cancer risk (Val/Met versus Val/Val: OR=0.91, 95% CI=0.76-1.08; Met/Met versus Val/Val: OR=0.90, 95% CI=0.73-1.10; dominant model: OR=0.90, 95% CI=0.77-1.06; recessive model: OR=0.95, 95% CI=0.80-1.13). Similarly, no associations were found in all comparisons for endometrial cancer (Val/Met versus Val/Val: OR 0.97, 95% CI=0.77-1.21; Met/Met versus Val/Val: OR=1.02, 95% CI=0.73-1.42; dominant model: OR=0.98, 95% CI=0.77-1.25; recessive model: OR=1.02, 95% CI=0.87-1.20). In the subgroup analyses by source of control and ethnicity, no significant associations were found in any subgroup of population. This meta-analysis strongly suggests that COMT Val158Met polymorphism is not associated with increased endometrial and ovarian cancer risk.