Prognostic Values of TIM-3 Expression in Patients With Solid Tumors: A Meta-Analysis and Database Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing molecule-3 (TIM-3) is an emerging immune checkpoint molecule expressed on immune and tumor cells.
• Previous studies on TIM-3's prognostic significance in cancer have been limited by small sample sizes and conflicting results.

Approach:

• A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for studies on TIM-3 expression in solid cancers up to March 2020.
• Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to assess the correlation between TIM-3 and patient survival and clinical-pathological features.

Key Points:

• The meta-analysis of 3,072 patients revealed that TIM-3 protein overexpression is associated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.73).
• TIM-3 expression correlated with lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.59), higher tumor grade (OR = 1.68), and PD-1 expression (OR = 3.26).
• High TIM-3 mRNA expression also showed a significant correlation with poor overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer and gastric cancer patients.

Conclusions:

• TIM-3 demonstrates potential as a prognostic biomarker in solid tumors.
• TIM-3 represents a promising therapeutic target for various cancers.