Meta-analysis results indicated no association between p53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and the risk of HPV-related HNSCC: for Pro/Pro vs. Arg/Arg, OR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70-1.98; for Arg/Pro vs. Arg/ Arg, OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.97-1.72; and for (Pro/Pro + Arg/Pro) vs. Arg/Arg, OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 0.95-1.70.
Stratification analyses showed that a reduced risk associated with the -606CC genotype was more pronounced in subgroups of non-smokers, non-drinkers, younger subjects (defined as ≤57 years), carriers of the TP53 Arg/Arg (rs1042522) genotype, patients with oropharyngeal cancer or late-stage SCCHN.
We found that RAD51 172TT homozygotes had a significantly decreased risk [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50-0.87] of SCCHN, compared with carriers of other genotypes, particularly in P53 Arg72Arg homozygotes (adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.41-0.89) (homogeneity test P = 0.047), although no alterations in the risk were associated with the RAD51 135G>C and P53 Arg72Pro SNPs.