title: Predictive role of the overexpression for CXCR4, C-Met, and VEGF-C among breast cancer patients: A meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The overexpression of CXCR4, C-Met and VEGF-C present widely in breast tumors, they may be markers of resistance to treatment. However, the studies are still controversial. Thus, this meta-analysis aims to research the relationship between the overexpression of CXCR4, C-Met, VEGF-C and clinical prognosis among breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for eligible literature. The outcomes of interest were progression-free survival (PFS), relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). All tests of statistical significance were two sided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7830 patients from 28 eligible studies were assessed. The overexpression of the CXCR4 and C-Met both implied significantly worse PFS compared with normal expression [HR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.34-4.91, P = 0.005; and HR = 1.63 95% CI = 1.20-2.22, P = 0.002]. Meanwhile, if patients had high expression of CXCR4, they would have worse OS [HR = 2.56 95% CI = 1.52-4.31, P = 0.000]. However, the overexpression of C-Met did not relate to OS for breast cancer patients [HR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.69-1.95, P = 0.570]. Meanwhile, no statistically significant different was observed with respect to PFS and OS between VEGF-C overexpression and normal expression [HR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.64-1.52, P = 0.968; and HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.43-1.33, P = 0.333].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis showed that CXCR4 and C-Met were efficient prognostic factors for breast cancer. Nevertheless, highly expressing VEGF-C was not related to progression-free survival and overall survival. Due to the small samples and insufficient date, further studies should be conducted to clarify the association between the overexpression of CXCR4 or C-Met or VEGF-C and the prognosis about breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
authors.forename: Yueguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, China.
authors.forename: Kunxian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, China.
authors.forename: Minju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, China.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, 157 Jinbi Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, China.
authors.forename: Jingyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China. Electronic address: twr@sina.com.
authors.forename: Wenru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging & Tumor, Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Chenggong Campus, 727 South Jingming Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China. Electronic address: shengmm@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Miaomiao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000235:genetics*; D015996:Survival Rate; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
keywords: Breast cancer; C-Met; CXCR4; Overexpression; VEGF-C