Background: Cervical infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) has been established as a necessary cause of cervical cancer. In search of genetic cofactors, a polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been investigated in more than 80 studies. A meta-analysis of published data was performed to examine the association between TP53 polymorphism and cervical cancer in all eligible studies independently from the availability of original data.

Methods: Published data on 7357 cases and 9352 controls from 64 different studies worldwide were included. Pooled estimates were calculated with maximum likelihood estimation in random effect models. Subgroup analyses were performed according to HPV status, ethnic group, Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, study quality, and the material used to determine TP53 genotype. Analyses were performed with all adequate controls and with cytologically negative controls.

Results: Analyses with all adequate controls showed a significantly increased risk for invasive cervical cancer (1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.41)) when comparing Arginine homozygotes to heterozygotes (reference). Similar results were obtained when comparing Arginine homozygotes to heterozygotes and Proline homozygotes (reference). Subgroup analyses according to quality criteria yielded no increased risks in sound epidemiological studies and in studies where the TP53 genotype was determined from white blood cells. Analyses with cytologically negative controls confirmed the results.

Conclusions: No association between cervical cancer and TP53 codon 72 polymorphism was found when the analysis was restricted to studies which were of good methodological quality. There was good agreement between the results of this meta-analysis and the results of a pooled analysis of individual data.