Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of GLUT1 in breast cancer A meta-analysis

Background: Previous studies examining the prognostic value of glucose transporter 1 in breast cancer have yielded inconsistent results. We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis to clarify this issue. Methods: The research was reported according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane library. Results: A total of 7 reports with 1861 patients were finally chosen. GLUT1 overexpression was found to be associated with high histological grade (OR=3.74, 95% CI=2.45-5.69, P<.001), negative PR status (OR=0.33, 95% CI=0.22-0.49, P<.001), and negative estrogen receptor (ER) status (OR=0.27, 95% CI=0.17-0.42, P<.001). However, no significant correlation was seen between GLUT1 levels and presence of lymph node metastasis, tumor size or the status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Overexpression of GLUT1 also correlated with a poor overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]=1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.17-2.31, P=.004) and disease-free survival (HR=2.35, 95% CI=1.4-3.94, P<.001). No evidence of significant publication bias was found. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicates that GLUT1 expression is associated with poor prognostic and a series of clinicopathological features in breast cancer. GLUT1 might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in breast cancer.