Background: Associations between the NQO1 C609T polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk are a subject of debate. We therefore performed the present meta-analysis to evaluate links with HCC susceptibility.
Materials and methods: Several major databases (PubMed, EBSCO), the Chinese national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and the Wanfang database were searched for eligible studies. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure the strength of associations.
Results: A total of 4 studies including 1,325 patients and 1,367 controls were identified. There was a significant association between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and HCC for all genetic models (allelic model: OR=1.45, 95%CI=1.23-1.72, p<0.01; additive model: OR=1.96, 95%CI=1.57-2.43, p<0.01; dominant model: OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.38-1.91, p<0.01; and recessive model: OR=1.53, 95%CI=1.26-1.84, p<0.01). On subgroup analysis, similarly results were identified in Asians. For Asians, the combined ORs and 95% CIs were (allelic model: OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.24-1.82, p<0.01; additive model: OR=2.11, 95%CI=1.48-3.01, p<0.01; dominant model: OR=1.69, 95%CI=1.42-2.02, p<0.01; and recessive model: OR=1.59, 95%CI=1.16-2.19, p<0.01).
Conclusions: The current meta-analysis suggested that the NQO1 C609T polymorphism could be a risk factor for developing HCC, particularly in the Chinese population.