Prognostic value of reduced E-cadherin expression in breast cancer: a meta-analysis

The prognostic value of E-cadherin expression in patients with breast cancer has been studied for years, yet results remain controversial. We thus performed a comprehensive evaluation of the association between E-cadherin expression and prognosis through a meta-analysis. The databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched. A total of 7,353 patients from 33 studies were subject to final analysis. The results showed there was a significant association between reduced expression of E-cadherin and overall survival (OS) (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.41-2.27) and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.31-1.99) in breast cancer. Downregulated expression of E-cadherin significantly correlated with tumor histological grade (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.96), TNM stage (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.75-3.41), tumor size (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.18-1.60), lymph node status (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.15-2.10), and progesterone receptor status (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.10-1.88). This meta-analysis suggested that reduced E-cadherin expression might be a predictor of a poorer prognosis and could be a potentially new gene therapy target for breast cancer patients.