The 1245C>G (rs1052133) polymorphism of human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) gene has been indicated to be correlated with colorectal (CRC) susceptibility, but studies have yielded conflicting results. Thus, the present meta-analysis was performed to derive a more precise estimation between hOGG1 1245C>G polymorphism and CRC risk.

Data were collected from several electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases, with the last search up to June 30, 2018. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was assessed by the random or fixed effect model.

A total of 7,021 CRC cases and 10,600 controls from 24 case-control studies were involved. The combined results showed that hOGG1 1245C>G polymorphism was significantly associated with CRC risk under three genetic models, i.e., homozygote (GG vs. CC: OR=1.229, 95% CI 1.031-1.465, p=0.022); heterozygote (GC vs. CC: OR=1.142, 95% CI 1.008-1.294, p=0.037); and dominant (GG+GC vs. CC: OR=1.162, 95% CI 1.034-1.304, p=0.011). Via stratified analysis by ethnicity, a significant association of the hOGG1 1245C>G polymorphism with susceptibility to CRC was found in the Caucasians, but not in Asians. Moreover, there were significant associations between hOGG1 1245C>G polymorphism and CRC by PCR-RFLP and hospital-based (HB) subgroup.

This meta-analysis result, inconsistence with the previous meta-analysis, suggests that the hOGG1 1245C>G polymorphism might be associated with an increased CRC risk, especially in Caucasians.