In conclusion, based on our ethnic Chinese case-control study and meta-analysis, TLR2 -196 to -174del, TLR4 Asp299Gly, TLR4 rs11536889 and CD14 -260 C/T polymorphisms appear to play an important role in the development of GC inferring that polymorphisms in the TLR signalling pathway are clearly involved in gastric carcinogenesis. The gene discussed is TLR4; the disease is gastric cancer.