title: The Role of p-STAT3 as a Prognostic and Clinicopathological Marker in Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) has been detected in a variety of human tumors. However, the association of positive p-STAT3 expression with clinicopathological parameters and the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients remain controversial. To identify the relationship between p-STAT3 expression and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a comprehensive literature search from PubMed, EMBASE, and SinoMed through 27 March, 2016. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were combined to evaluate the association between p-STAT3 expression and overall survival of colorectal cancer patients. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI were combined to evaluate the association between p-STAT3 expression and clinicopathological parameters in patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen studies including a total of 2,346 colorectal cancer patients were included in this meta-analysis. The combined HR was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.23-1.67, P < 0.001), which suggested a positive relationship between p-STAT3 overexpression and poorer overall survival of colorectal cancer patients. In addition, the results indicated that positive p-STAT3 expression was significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.18-5.01, P = 0.02) but was not associated with TNM stage, tumor differentiation or gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The meta-analysis results suggest that p-STAT3 overexpression is unfavorable for the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients, and p-STAT3 overexpression is associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis among colorectal cancer patients.
authors: Department of Pathophysiology, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Kun
authors: K
authors: Ji
authors: Grade 2012 Clinical Medicine, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Mingxuan
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: Grade 2012 Clinical Medicine, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Chu
authors: Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Gan
authors: Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Ren
authors: Department of Pathophysiology, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Liyan
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors: Liwei
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Xiaoxiu
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Clinical Medical School of Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities (Inner Mongolia General Forestry Hospital), Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor