CYP2E1 Rsa I/Pst I polymorphism and esophageal cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 1,088 cases and 2,238 controls

The common functional CYP2E1 Rsa I/Pst I polymorphism may influence the risk of esophageal cancer. However, the published results are conflicting. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis comprised of 11 published case–control studies with 1,088 cases and 2,238 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association. Overall, the pooled ORs were 0.53 (95% CI = 0.31–0.89, P _{heterogeneity} < 0.001) and 0.57 (95% CI = 0.34–0.96, P _{heterogeneity} < 0.001), for the heterogeneity c1/c2 and c2 allele carriers (c1/c2 + c2/c2) compared with the homozygous c1/c2, respectively. In subgroup analysis by race, the same significant risks were found among Asians (for c2 vs. c1: OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.43–0.95, P _{heterogeneity} < 0.001; for c1/c2 vs. c1/c1: OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.28–0.82, P _{heterogeneity} < 0.001; for c1/c2 + c2/c2 vs. c1/c1: OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.30–0.86, P _{heterogeneity} < 0.001). In conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrates that CYP2E1 Rsa I/Pst I c2 allele may be a decreased risk factor for developing esophageal cancer among Asians populations.