Prognostic value of ASXL1 mutations in acute myeloid leukemia: A meta-analysis

Mutations in ASXL1 are being investigated for prognostic value in AML, but the relationship between these mutations and prognosis for patients with AML remains unclear. Therefore, we are conducting a meta-analysis to estimate the effect of mutations in ASXL1 to determine their prognostic significance.

Eight studies were selected by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials, and the Cochrane Library databases. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were pooled to assess the effect of ASXL1 mutations on the prognosis in AML patients.

A total of 8 studies with 4143 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HRs for OS and EFS revealed that AML patients with ASXL1 mutations had a significantly poor prognosis as compared with those without mutations (OS: HR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.34-1.88, p < 0.00001; EFS: HR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.27-2.08, p < 0.0001). Mutations in ASXL1 showed no strong relationship with other AML-specific mutations and FAB subtypes.

This meta-analysis showed that AML patients with ASXL1 mutations had a poor prognosis, which may be a reason to include the diagnostics of this mutation in the prognostic scales for assessing risk in patients with AML.