title: Prognostic significance of β-catenin expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: β-Catenin has been reported to play a crucial role in the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. However, the value of β-catenin as a prognostic factor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. The present study systematically reviewed the evidence of predicting significance of β-catenin expression in NSCLC patients with meta-analysis. Twelve literatures were included by searching PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE databases. Separate hazard ratio estimates and a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the prognostic value of β-catenin in NSCLC were extracted and merged from the included literatures. The summary hazard ratios were 1.91 (95% CI 1.60-2.28), indicating a worse overall survival for NSCLC patients with reduced β-catenin expression. There was no significant heterogeneity among the studies (X(2) = 12.41, p = 0.413, I(2) = 3.3%). Publication bias was not statistically significant. Sensitivity analysis showed that omission of any single study had little effect on the combined risk estimates. This meta-study revealed that decreased β-catenin expression denoted a poor prognosis in NSCLC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin