A genetic variant Val158Met in the COMT gene leads to a several-fold decrease in the enzymatic activity giving rise to the accumulation of potentially carcinogenic endogenous catechol estrogens and their reactive intermediates and increasing thus the risk of tumorigenesis.
To better evaluate the role of COMT Val158Met in endometrial carcinogenesis, we performed this meta-analysis, considering menopausal status, study quality, ethnicity, and source of controls.
Val158Met is a common single-nucleotide polymorphism of the COMT gene (Ex4-12 G>A; rs4680) that results in a lower activity enzyme, increasing susceptibility to tumorigenesis.