title: Thyroid transcription factor 1--a new prognostic factor in lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic role for survival of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) in lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies evaluating survival and TTF-1 in lung cancer patients, published until August 2005, were assessed with a methodological scoring system. The required data for estimation of individual hazard ratios (HRs) for survival were extracted from the publications and a combined HR was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 10 eligible papers, all dealing with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Eight were meta-analysed (evaluable studies). Seven studies included patients with local and/or locoregional diseases and three dealt only with adenocarcinoma. Median methodological quality score was 65.9% (range = 31.8%-70.5%). TTF-1 positivity was associated with statistically significant reduced or improved survival in one and four studies, respectively. Combined HR for the eight evaluable studies was 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.41-1.00]. In the subgroup of adenocarcinoma, the combined HR was 0.53 (95% CI = 0.29-0.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TTF-1 is a good prognostic factor for survival in NSCLC. Its effect appears also significant when the analysis is restricted to patients with adenocarcinoma. This study supports the fact that TTF-1 could be included in further prospective trials studying prognostic factors in NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care and Thoracic Oncology, Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. thierry.berghmans@bordet.be
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berghmans
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paesmans
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mascaux
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: A-P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Meert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lafitte
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sculier
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C000614412:NKX2-1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors