title: LGR5, a relevant marker of cancer stem cells, indicates a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) has been identified as a putative intestinal stem cell marker. However, the clinical prognosis of Lgr5 is still controversial in colorectal cancer (CRC). To systematically summarize the clinical prognostic function of Lgr5 in colorectal cancer, we performed this meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published articles which assessed the clinical or prognostic role of Lgr5 was searched in Pubmed, Embase and Springer and collected until the publication month of February 2014. The association of Lgr5 expression with clinical outcomes was investigated by a meta- analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 8 studies have been up to the inclusion standard, comprised 2139 patients. Lgr5 showed no relationship with the gender of patients (OR=0.919, 95% CI=0.730-1.157, P=0.473) and the depth of invasion (OR=2.616, CI 95%=0.947-7.221, P=0.063). Lgr5 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (OR=2.248, 95%CI=1.205-4.192, P=0.011), tumor distance metastasis (OR=3.872, 95%CI=2.792-5.370, P<0.001) and classification of TNM (pooled OR=3.264, 95% CI=1.731-6.155, P<0.001). Overall, overexpression of Lgr5 was statistically related to the reduced overall survival (HR=6.130, 95% CI=2.845-13.210, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lgr5 participates in the progression of CRC as a putative factor. Overexpression of Lgr5 was distinctly correlated with poor patient survival. These findings suggested that Lgr5 might serve as an efficient biomarker for prognostic indicator, and could be a new molecular target in colorectal cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gastric Neoplasms, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, School of medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China.
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Yichen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
authors.forename: Xingpo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China. Electronic address: strexboy@163.com.
authors.forename: Qiaoming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China. Electronic address: zhaohong600@sina.com.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D011379:Prognosis; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C116884:LGR5 protein, human; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled