TERT rs2736100 polymorphism contributes to lung cancer risk: a meta-analysis including 49,869 cases and 73,464 controls

Some studies investigated the association of TERT rs2736100 polymorphism with lung cancer (LC). But the results were not consistent. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the association between rs2736100 and LC. Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched. Data were extracted, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. A total of 19 studies including 49,869 cases and 73,464 controls were involved in this meta-analysis. Overall, a significant association between TERT rs2736100 polymorphism and LC risk was observed (OR?=?1.23, 95 % CI 1.18–1.28, P?<?0.00001). This polymorphism was also significantly associated with LC risk in Asians (OR?=?1.27, 95 % CI 1.22–1.33, P?<?0.00001), Caucasians (OR?=?1.14, 95 % CI 1.10–1.18, P?<?0.00001), female patients (OR?=?1.37, 95 % CI 1.24–1.51, P?<?0.00001), male patients (OR?=?1.23, 95 % CI 1.15–1.31, P?<?0.00001), adenocarcinoma patients (OR?=?1.35, 95 % CI 1.28–1.41, P?<?0.00001), squamous cell carcinoma patients (OR?=?1.13, 95 % CI 1.04–1.21, P?=?0.002), small cell lung cancer patients (OR?=?1.09, 95 % CI 1.03–1.16, P?=?0.004), current smokers (OR?=?1.22, 95 % CI 1.17–1.27, P?<?0.00001), former smokers (OR?=?1.14, 95 % CI 1.08–1.21, P?<?0.0001), and never smokers (OR?=?1.37, 95 % CI 1.31–1.43, P?<?0.00001), respectively. This meta-analysis suggested that TERT rs2736100 polymorphism was a risk factor for LC.