title: Androgen receptor, EGFR, and BRCA1 as biomarkers in triple-negative breast cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  More and more evidences demonstrate that androgen receptor (AR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) have unique clinical implications for targeted therapy or prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the possible associations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrieved published articles about AR, EGFR, and BRCA1 in TNBC from PubMed and EMBASE. The analysis was performed with Rev-Man 5.2 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 38 articles were eligible for the meta-analysis. Our study showed that the expression level of EGFR (OR = 6.88, P < 0.00001) and the prevalence of BRCA1 mutation (RR = 5.26, P < 0.00001) were higher in TNBC than non-TNBC. In contrast, the expression level of AR was lower in TNBC than non-TNBC (OR = 0.07, P < 0.00001). In the subgroup related to EGFR expression, the level of EGFR expression was significantly increased in Asians (OR = 9.60) compared with Caucasians (OR = 5.53) for TNBC patients. Additionally, the prevalence of BRCA1 mutation in Asians (RR = 5.43, P < 0.00001) was higher than that in Caucasians (RR = 5.16, P < 0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distinct expression of AR and EGFR and the prevalence of BRCA1 mutation indicated that AR, EGFR, and BRCA1 might be unique biomarkers for targeted therapy and prognosis in TNBC.
authors.affiliation: Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xianqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Anling
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics*; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors