title: Prognostic value of Aurora kinase A (AURKA) expression among solid tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognostic significance of Aurora kinase A expression in cancer patients is currently under debate. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the prognostic relevance of Aurora kinase A associated with survival in solid tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pubmed was searched for studies evaluating the Aurora kinase A expression and survival in solid tumors through 10 October 2014. The main outcome analyzed was overall survival and secondary outcomes were progression-free survival, disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival. Pooled hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the association. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine eligible studies enrolling 5523 patients were identified. The high Aurora kinase A expression level was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.81-2.95). Further subgroup analyses showed that our results were stable irrespective of the disease sites, stages and methods of Aurora kinase A expression. The high Aurora kinase A expression level was also associated with progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.96-3.69), disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.51) and cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-3.29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our present meta-analysis indicates that the Aurora kinase A is an effective prognosticator in solid tumors patients. Further studies are required to explore the clinical utility of Aurora kinase A in solid tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Research Group of Evidence-based Clinical Oncology, Tianjin Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Research Group of Evidence-based Clinical Oncology, Tianjin Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin.
authors.forename: Baoguo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Department of Urologic Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Pengyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Research Group of Evidence-based Clinical Oncology, Tianjin Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin wht1972@126.com.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D064096:Aurora Kinase A / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: C576917:AURKA protein, human; D064096:Aurora Kinase A
keywords: Aurora kinase A; meta-analysis; prognosis; solid tumor; therapy