title: The prognostic value of phosphorylated AKT expression in non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), constitutive activation of AKT, is a potentially interesting prognostic marker and therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the available results of p-AKT expression in NSCLC are heterogeneous. Therefore, a meta-analysis of published researches investigating the prognostic relevance of p-AKT expression in patients with NSCLC was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search via PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) databases was conducted. Data from eligible studies were extracted and included into meta-analysis using a random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1049 patients from nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. Nine studies investigated the relationship between p-AKT expression and overall survival using univariate analysis, and five of these undertook multivariate analysis. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival was 1.49 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-2.20) by univariate analysis and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.54-1.95) by multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that positive expression of p-AKT is associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. However, adequately designed prospective studies need to perform.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yubei District People's Hospital, Chongqing, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xue-Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Changshou, Chongqing, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt