VEGF-C in non-small cell lung cancer: Meta-analysis

Background: We sought to clarify the prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of relevant literature to aggregate the available survival results, using studies published in English until May 2013. Eligible studies dealt with VEGF-C assessment in NSCLC patients on primary lesions and reported survival data according to VEGF-C expression. Results: We aggregated 16 trials, comprising 1988 patients, in this meta-analysis. The overall combined hazard ratio (HR) was 1.65 (95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.37-1.98) and was calculated using a random-effects model. It associated high VEGF-C expression with poor survival in all NSCLC patients, including those with stage I NSCLC and high VEGF-C expression (HR: 2.00; 95% CI: 122-328). However, VEGF-C expression did not significantly correlate with survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) (HR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.01-2.18). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis shows that VEGF-C expression is associated with poor prognosis for NSCLC patients, including patients with stage I NSCLC. However, VEGF-C expression is not significantly correlated with survival for patients with lung ADC. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.