title: Expression of caveolin-1 in breast cancer stroma as a potential prognostic biomarker of survival and progression: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been shown that caveolin-1 plays a potential role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in various cancer types. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether caveolin-1 expressed in the breast cancer stroma could be a prognostic factor for breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the PubMed, ScienceDirect and Web of Science databases for published literature investigating associations between stromal caveolin-1 expression and survival outcome in breast cancer patients. With respect to survival outcomes, the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) of caveolin-1 and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our meta-analysis identified a total of 10 studies involving 2072 cases. Further investigation demonstrated that a lack of caveolin-1 expression in the breast cancer stroma is a hazard for overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.57-3.46) and disease-free/progression-free survival (DFS/PFS) (HR = 3.05, 95% CI: 2.26-4.12) in breast cancer patients. Moreover, lack of caveolin-1 expression in the cancer-associated fibroblasts was a significant predictor of DFS/PFS (HR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.75-4.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that lack of expression of caveolin-1 in the breast cancer stroma is associated with a poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650093, Kunming, Yunnan, China. lixying98@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiuying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: LaoBoYunTang Medicine Co., Ltd, Chuxiong, China.
authors.forename: Jinfan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Shuenqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D000078331:Correlation of Data; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051242:Caveolin 1
keywords: Breast cancer; Cancer-associated fibroblasts; Caveolin-1; Meta-analysis; Tumor stroma