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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Published on: September 18, 2020
Diagnostic Value of p16 Methylation for Malignant Pleural Effusions: A Meta-analysis
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
Objective:
To evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of the p16 methylation for diagnosing malignant pleural effusion (MPE).
Methods:
All published literature in English and Chinese were reviewed. Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were pooled by using random-effects model or fixed-effects model. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was used to evaluate the overall diagnostic value.
Results:
Six studies were included with a total of 378 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and DOR of p16 methylation in the diagnosis of MPE were 0.41 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35, 0.48], 0.97 [95% CI 0.93, 0.99], 9.57 [95% CI 4.53, 20.20], 0.61 [95% CI 0.45, 0.82] and 19.82 [95% CI 8.35, 47.04], respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.864.
Conclusion:
Pleural p16 methylation test plays a useful role in the diagnosis of MPE.
Insights
The pleural p16 methylation test shows promise for diagnosing malignant pleural effusion (MPE). With a high specificity of 0.97, it is a useful tool in clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pulmonology
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) diagnosis can be challenging.
- Accurate diagnostic markers are crucial for timely treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic performance of pleural p16 methylation for MPE.
- To provide a comprehensive evaluation of this biomarker's utility.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies.
- Inclusion of English and Chinese literature.
- Pooled analysis of sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios using random-effects models.
- Evaluation using Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic (SROC) curve.
Main Results:
- Six studies with 378 cases were analyzed.
- P16 methylation demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.41 and specificity of 0.97.
- The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 19.82, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.864.
Conclusions:
- Pleural p16 methylation is a valuable biomarker for diagnosing MPE.
- The test exhibits high specificity, aiding in differential diagnosis.
- Further research may refine its role in clinical decision-making.
