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Prognostic role of epidermal growth factor receptor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis
Wei Sun1, Guoxian Long, Junfeng Wang
1Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, China.
Background:
Various studies have assessed the prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but their results remain controversial.
Methods:
Studies published up to January 2013 were collected. A total of 16 studies involving 1179 patients were reviewed. A meta-analysis was performed to clarify the prognostic role of EGFR in patients with NPC. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using fixed-effects or random-effects models.
Results:
EGFR overexpression had significantly poor effect on overall survival (OS; HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.25-2.77), disease-free survival (DFS; HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.66-3.04) and locoregional control (HR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.71-5.02). However, the association between EGFR overexpression and distant metastasis-free survival was not statistically significant (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.72-2.67).
Conclusion:
EGFR overexpression can be a prognostic factor for patients with NPC.
