To examine the association between three x-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) genetic polymorphisms (Arg¹⁹⁴Trp, Arg²⁸⁰His, and Arg³⁹⁹Gln) and bladder cancer susceptibility.

A comprehensive search was conducted to identify all case-control studies of XRCC1 polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk. Statistical analysis was performed with the software program Review Manage, version 4.2.

A total of 10 eligible reports, including 3749 cases and 3947 controls, were identified. For Arg¹⁹⁴Trp (six studies, 3091 cases, 3219 controls), no evidence indicated that individuals carrying the variant genotypes (Trp/Trp + Arg/Trp), relative to those carrying the wild homozygote Arg/Arg genotype, had a decreased risk of bladder cancer (odds ratio [OR] 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77 to 1.05; P = 0.17). For Arg²⁸⁰His (three studies, 2547 cases, 1784 controls), individuals with His/His+Arg/His genotypes had no significant risk of bladder cancer, compared with those with the Arg/Arg genotype (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.77; P = 0.97). For Arg³⁹⁹Gln (10 studies, 3729 cases, 3927 controls), the Gln/Gln genotype carriers did not have a decreased cancer risk compared with those individuals with the Arg/Arg genotype (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.10; P = 0.48). Similarly, no associations were found in the recessive and dominant modeling (Gln/Gln versus Arg/Gln+Arg/Arg: OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.05; P = 0.23; Arg/Gln+Gln/Gln versus Arg/Arg: OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.14; P = 0.36).

No association was found between the polymorphisms in XRCC1 (Arg¹⁹⁴Trp, Arg²⁸⁰His, Arg³⁹⁹Gln) and bladder cancer susceptibility.