Epidermal growth factor receptor could play a prognostic role to predict the outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been reported to play a prognostic role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Nevertheless, the effect of EGFR predicting clinical outcomes is still controversial.

METHODS

Potentially eligible studies were retrieved using PubMed. Basic clinical characteristics of patients and statistical data were collected. Survival data can be got directly or could be calculated if it was available in other resources. Then, we used a meta-analysis model to review the correlation between over-expression of EGFR and survival outcome in NPC patients.

RESULTS

15 eligible studies and 1225 patients were yielded in our meta-analysis. The HRs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for OS and DFS/RFS/PFS were 2.11 [1.23, 3.60] and 2.17 [1.41, 3.35], respectively. Histological differentiation stage, race, different cut-off values and the percentage of TNM stage were divided for subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSION

EGFR could be a fine prognostic factor of NPC, which might be proven by further multicenter clinical trials.