The low IGFBP-3 level is associated with esophageal cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

Guiqin Song,Xiaolin Yang,Xiaoyan Zhu,Wan Wang,Guidong Shi,Kang Liu,Gang Feng,Yunxia Zhao,Yi Duan,Yuewu Shen,Qing Li

doi:10.1186/s12957-016-1055-6

Abstract

BackgroundEsophageal cancer was a vital cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and the insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) has been proved to be an important factor of multiple types of tumors. There is a controversy that whether the IGFBP-3 level is associated with the clinical pathological characteristics and overall survival of esophageal cancer patients. Herein, we aimed to comprehensively assess the association between the low IGFBP-3 level and the risk, overall survival and clinical pathological characteristics of esophageal cancer.MethodWe conducted a meta-analysis using seven eligible studies. The overall odds ratios (OR)/relative risk (RR) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for each parameter.ResultsFor the risk of esophageal cancer, the OR was 2.342 (p = 0.000), indicating that individuals with lower IGFBP-3 level were more likely to suffer from esophageal cancer, compared to those with relatively high IGFBP-3 level. With respect to the 3-year survival rate, the RR was 2.163 (p = 0.027), which demonstrated that esophageal cancer patients with low IGFBP-3 level had significantly lower 3-year survival rate; in terms of clinical pathological characteristics, significantly lower IGFBP-3 level was found for patients in all categories; for survival status, patients in low IGFBP-3 level are more likely to be in the dead survival status (OR = 4.480, p = 0.000).ConclusionOur meta-analysis suggests that for esophageal cancer, the low IGFBP-3 level is associated with high cancer risk, poor prognosis, and unfavorable tumor stage and metastasis.

Highlights

Esophageal cancer was a vital cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and the insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) has been proved to be an important factor of multiple types of tumors
With respect to the 3-year survival rate, the relative risk (RR) was 2.163 (p = 0.027), which demonstrated that esophageal cancer patients with low IGFBP-3 level had significantly lower 3-year survival rate; in terms of clinical pathological characteristics, significantly lower IGFBP-3 level was found for patients in all categories; for survival status, patients in low IGFBP-3 level are more likely to be in the dead survival status (OR = 4.480, p = 0.000)
Our meta-analysis suggests that for esophageal cancer, the low IGFBP-3 level is associated with high cancer risk, poor prognosis, and unfavorable tumor stage and metastasis

Summary

Introduction

Esophageal cancer was a vital cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and the insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) has been proved to be an important factor of multiple types of tumors. There is a controversy that whether the IGFBP-3 level is associated with the clinical pathological characteristics and overall survival of esophageal cancer patients. We aimed to comprehensively assess the association between the low IGFBP-3 level and the risk, overall survival and clinical pathological characteristics of esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer is listed as the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with an estimated 456000 new cases annually in the world [1, 2]. As a predominantly secreted protein, IGFBP-3 plays important roles in several molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that regulate cell survival or apoptosis, in the case of tumor [13]. It has been documented that the epigenetic alteration of IGFBP-3 can impact on multiple types of tumors including non-small-cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, urological cancers, breast cancer, and gastric cancer [14]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion