title: Clinicopathological significance of CXCR4 expression in renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emerging evidence indicates that C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is a candidate oncogene in several types of human tumors including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively evaluate the association of CXCR4 expression with the incidence of RCC and clinicopathological characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed, Embase, and ISI Web of Knowledge to identify studies written in English. Methodological quality of the studies was also evaluated. Odds ratio and hazard ratio were calculated and summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Final analysis was performed of 994 RCC patients from 11 eligible studies. We observed that CXCR4 expression was significantly higher in RCC than in normal renal tissues. CXCR4 expression was not found to be associated with sex status or clinical staging. However, CXCR4 expression was clearly associated with Fuhrman grading, metastatic status, and overall survival in RCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this meta-analysis suggest that CXCR4 expression is associated with an increased risk and worsen survival in RCC patients. The aberrant CXCR4 expression plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and metastasis of RCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guilin Medical University, Affiliated Hospital, Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shengguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhenran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Songqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4