There was no evidence of significant association between p21 3′ UTR rs1059234 polymorphism and cancer risk when all the eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis (recessive model: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.86–1.21; dominant model: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.81–1.41, Figs 2 and 3). Here, CDKN1A is linked to cancer.