title: Prognostic role of circulating tumor cells in patients with pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Isolation and characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients suffering from a variety of different cancers have become hot biomarker topics. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of CTCs in pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Initial literature was identified using Medline and EMBASE. The primary data were hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and progression free survival/recurrence free survival (PFS/RFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 9 eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis, published between 2002 and 2013. The estimated pooled HR and 95%CI for OS for all studies was 1.64 (95%CI 1.39-1.94, p<0.00001) and the pooled HR and 95%CI for RFS/DFS was 2.36 (95%CI 1.41-3.96, p<0.00001). The HRs and 95%CIs for OS and RFS/ DFS in patients before treatment were 1.93 (95%CI 1.26-2.96, p=0.003) and 1.82 (95%CI 1.22-2.72, p=0.003), respectively. In patients receiving treatment, the HRs and 95%CI for OS and RFS/DFS were 1.37 (95%CI 1.00- 1.86, p=0.05) and 1.89 (95%CI 1.01-3.51, p=0.05), respectively. Moreover, the pooled HR and 95%CI for OS in the post-treatment group was 2.20 (95%CI 0.80-6.02, p=0.13) and the pooled HR for RFS/DFS was 8.36 (95%CI 3.22-21.67, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The meta-analysis provided strong evidence supporting the proposition that CTCs detected in peripheral blood have a fine predictive role in pancreatic patients especially on the time point of post-treatment.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China E-mail : lipinghx@gmail.com, Liuleihx@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xue-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hong-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor