Prognostic Significance of HIF-1α Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 6; p. e65753
• Main Authors: Zheng, Su-Su, Chen, Xiao-Hong, Yin, Xin, Zhang, Bo-Heng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 14.06.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Biology; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - mortality; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Clinical trials; Confidence intervals; Correlation analysis; Disease-Free Survival; Gene Expression; Hepatitis; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Hospitals; Humans; Hypoxia; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit - genetics; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit - metabolism; Hypoxia-inducible factors; Literature reviews; Liver cancer; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - mortality; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Medical ethics; Medical prognosis; Medicine; Meta-analysis; Metastases; Metastasis; Patients; Prognosis; Studies; Survival; Tumors
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065753
• ISSN: 1932-6203

Pilot studies have evaluated the correlation between hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) overexpression and clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the results remain inconclusive. To comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the evidence on the suitability of HIF-1α to predict the prognosis of patients with HCC, a meta-analysis was carried out. Systematic literature searches were applied to PubMed, Elsevier and Web of Science databases until Feb. 2013. Seven studies (953 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled measure was calculated from the available data to evaluate the association between tissue -based HIF-1α level and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients. The relation between HIF-1α expression and vascular invasion was also assessed. Data were synthesized with fixed or random effect model, hazard ration (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect size estimate. The combined data suggested that HIF-1α overexpression in HCC correlated with poor OS [HR = 1.65 (95% (CI): 1.38, 1.97)] and DFS [HR = 2.14 (95% CI: 1.39, 3.29)]. And high HIF-1α expression tended to be associated with vascular invasion [OR = 2.21 (95% CI: 1.06, 4.57)]. HIF-1α overexpression indicates a poor prognosis for patients with HCC, it may also have predictive potential for HCC invasion and metastasis.