MUC1 overexpression predicts worse survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: evidence from an updated meta-analysis

// Xing Huang 1, * , Qi Sun 2, * , Chen Chen 3, * , Yi Zhang 1 , Xin Kang 4 , Jing-Yuan Zhang 1 , Da-Wei Ma 1 , Lei Xia 1 , Lin Xu 5 , Xin-Yu Xu 1 and Bin-Hui Ren 5 1 Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China 2 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Southern Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China 3 Department of Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China 4 Department of General Surgery, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China 5 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Xin-Yu Xu, email: redxxy@163.com Bin-Hui Ren, email: robbisen@163.com Keywords: mucin1, biomarker, NSCLC, prognosis, meta-analysis Received: February 28, 2017      Accepted: July 18, 2017      Published: August 03, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies on the prognostic role of MUC1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to appraise the clinicopathological and prognostic effect of MUC1 in NSCLC patients. Materials and Methods: Searches of PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were conducted and relevant studies were extracted. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate effects. Heterogeneity among studies and publication bias were also evaluated. Results: A total of 15 studies with 1,682 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HRs indicated that elevated MUC1 expression was associated with poorer overall survival (HR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.47–3.05; P < 0.001) and progression-free survival (HR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.53-2.62; P < 0.001) in patients with NSCLC. Significant associations were also found in patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) (HR = 3.16, 95% CI: 2.21–4.52, P < 0.001) and with a platinum-based regimen (HR = 4.35, 95% CI: 2.45–7.72, P < 0.001). Additionally, MUC1 overexpression was significantly associated with performance status (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.13–4.73, P = 0.021). Conclusions: MUC1 could be a valuable biomarker of the prognoses of NSCLC patients.