Abstract
BACKGROUND: The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801131 A/C variant results in a decrease in MTHFR enzymatic activity, which may play an important role in folate metabolism and is also an important source of DNA methylation and DNA synthesis. Several case-control studies have been conducted to assess the association of MTHFR rs1801131 polymorphism with the risk of urinary cancers, yet with conflicting conclusions. To derive a more precise estimation of above relationship, the association between the MTHFR rs1801131 A/C polymorphism and the risk of urinary cancer was performed. METHODS: A total of 28 case-control studies was identified. The odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated to assess. RESULTS: On one hand, we found that the MTHFR rs1801131 A/C polymorphism was associated with increased whole urinary cancers' risk (for example CA vs. AA: OR = 1.12. 95%CI = 1.01-1.24). On the other hand, we found that the MTHFR rs1801131 A/C polymorphism might increase bladder cancer risk both in Asian (C-allele vs. A-allele: OR = 1.35. 95%CI = 1.15-1.60) and African populations (CA vs. AA: OR = 1.63. 95%CI = 1.17-2.25). CONCLUSIONS: Our current analysis suggested that MTHFR rs1801131 A/C is associated with urinary cancers, especially bladder cancer.