CD243 gene polymorphism significantly associated with breast cancer susceptibility

We aimed to obtain a summary risk estimate for CD243 gene polymorphism associated with breast cancer. A total of nine case-control studies, including 5,073 cancer patients and 7,498 control subjects, were pooled in our fixed effects meta-analysis of the association between CD243 gene polymorphism and risk of breast cancer. All data were analyzed by using Stata software (version 12.0). We found significant risk effects under TT vs. TC + CC genetic model [odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.18, P = 0.516], but not in other comparisons. Stratifying the pooled data by ethnicity and source of controls revealed that the association between the T allele and an increased risk of breast cancer was more pronounced among Asians (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.26, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.57, P = 0.720; TT vs. TC + CC: OR = 1.31, 95 % CI = 1.07-1.61, P = 0.708) and hospital-based studies (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.25, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.53, P = 0.877; TT vs. TC + CC: OR = 1.27, 95 % CI = 1.05-1.53, P = 0.540). No notable heterogeneity was indicated across studies. Our meta-analysis demonstrates that CD243 gene polymorphism may act as a predisposition factor for breast cancer, particularly in Asian populations.