J Gastric Cancer.  2016 Sep;16(3):141-151. 10.5230/jgc.2016.16.3.141.

Clinicopathological Significance and Diagnostic Accuracy of c-MET Expression by Immunohistochemistry in Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

• Pyo JS
• Kang G
• Cho H

• KMID: 2372557
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5230/jgc.2016.16.3.141

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of the present study was to elucidate the clinicopathological significance and diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for determining the mesenchymal epidermal transition (c-MET) expression in patients with gastric cancer (GC).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present meta-analysis investigated the correlation between c-MET expression as determined by IHC and the clinicopathological parameters in 8,395 GC patients from 37 studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria. In addition, a concordance analysis was performed between c-MET expression as determined by IHC and c-MET amplification, and the diagnostic test accuracy was reviewed.
RESULTS
The estimated rate of c-MET overexpression was 0.403 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.327~0.484) and it was significantly correlated with male patients, poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, higher TNM stage, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity in IHC analysis. There was a significant correlation between c-MET expression and worse overall survival rate (hazard ratio, 1.588; 95% CI, 1.266~1.992). The concordance rates between c-MET expression and c-MET amplification were 0.967 (95% CI, 0.916~0.987) and 0.270 (95% CI, 0.173~0.395) for cases with non-overexpressed and overexpressed c-MET, respectively. In the diagnostic test accuracy review, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.56 (95% CI, 0.50~0.63) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.77~0.81), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The c-MET overexpression as determined by IHC was significantly correlated with aggressive tumor behavior and positive IHC status for HER2 in patients with GC. In addition, the c-MET expression status could be useful in the screening of c-MET amplification in patients with GC.

Keyword

Stomach neoplasms; c-MET; Immunohistochemistry; Meta-analysis; Diagnostic test accuracy review

MeSH Terms

Diagnostic Tests, Routine
Humans
Immunohistochemistry*
Lymph Nodes
Male
Mass Screening
Neoplasm Metastasis
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Sensitivity and Specificity
Stomach Neoplasms*
Survival Rate
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Flowchart of the study search process and the selection methods.

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