We have combined data from case control studies designed to test the hypothesis that the c‐160a promotor polymorphism in the gene coding for the cell adhesion molecule E‐cadherin (CDH1) is associated with stomach cancer. A total of 899 individuals (433 patients and 466 controls) were analyzed. The genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between cases and controls, and the genotype‐specific risks were not significantly different from unity, with an odds ratio for heterozygotes compared with the common homozygote of 1.3 (95% CI 0.98–1.8) and 1.2 (0.68–2.0) for rare homozygotes compared with common homozygotes. We found no evidence for differences in risk for the intestinal‐ and diffuse‐type histopathologic subgroups. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.