Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2012; 18(21): 2712-2718
Published online Jun 7, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i21.2712
Phosphatase and tensin homolog expression related to cetuximab effects in colorectal cancer patients: A meta-analysis
Yue Shen, Jian Yang, Zhi Xu, Dong-Ying Gu, Jin-Fei Chen
Yue Shen, Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China
Jian Yang, Zhi Xu, Dong-Ying Gu, Jin-Fei Chen, Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: Shen Y and Yang J designed the research, selected the studies, analyzed the data, wrote and revised the manuscript; Gu DY provided analytic tools and checked the accuracy of the data; Xu Z reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content and edited the English expression; Chen JF corrected and approved the manuscript; Shen Y and Yang J contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Jin-Fei Chen, PhD, MD, Department of Oncology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China. jinfeichen@sohu.com
Telephone: +86-25-87726234 Fax: +86-25-87726234
Received: November 11, 2011
Revised: February 20, 2012
Accepted: March 9, 2012
Published online: June 7, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the correlation between expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and cetuximab effects in colorectal cancer.

METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE and ASCO to identify eligible studies. Finally, 8 randomized control studies were included in the meta-analysis. STATA 10.0 Software was used to investigate heterogeneity among individual studies and to summarize all the studies. Risk ratios (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association.

RESULTS: Compared with 20 of 266 patients with loss of PTEN, 206 of 496 patients with intact PTEN protein expression had a better objective response rate to cetuximab-based therapy (RR, 4.75; 95% CI, 2.59-8.72; P < 0.001). PTEN positivity was associated with better progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 0.675; 95% CI, 0.473-0.964; P = 0.031) but not with better overall survival (OS) (HR, 0.608; 95% CI, 0.411-0.899; P = 0.013). In patients with KRAS wild-type status, PTEN positivity did not predict a longer PFS or OS (PFS: HR, 0.707; 95% CI, 0.440-1.138; P = 0.154; OS: HR, 0.943; 95% CI, 0.646-1.377; P = 0.761).

CONCLUSION: Expression of PTEN is related to the effect of cetuximab in colorectal cancer patients and should be considered in treatment with cetuximab.

Keywords: Phosphatase and tensin homolog, Cetuximab, Colorectal cancer, Prognosis, Meta-analysis