Background:Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors,
including abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Gastric cancer
(GC) is a common malignancy with significant mortality rates. The relationship between MetS
and GC risk remains controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate
the correlation between MetS and GC.Methods:Case-control studies investigating the association between MetS and GC were obtained
from various databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), SinoMed,
Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and PubMed. The search was performed
from the inception of each database up until September, 2023. Two researchers independently
screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included studies.
A meta-analysis of the included literature was conducted using Stata 12.0 software. The study
protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023490410).Results:A total of eight studies involving a combined sample size of forty-four thousand eight
hundred and seventy participants were included in the meta-analysis. The findings revealed that
the risk of developing GC was not significantly associated with body mass index, triglycerides,
hypertension, high fasting glucose, or MetS. However, it was found to be positively correlated
with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.35-2.12).Conclusion:This meta-analysis suggests that MetS is not significantly associated with an increased
risk of GC. The risk of GC increases with the presence of individual MetS components,
such as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Therefore, GC prevention strategies should include
lifestyle modifications and targeted interventions to manage MetS and its components.Trial Registration:CRD42023490410 (PROSPERO).