Association of the Expression Level of miR-16 with Prognosis of Solid Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis and Bioinformatic Analysis

Abstract EN

Objective.

To assess the association between the expression level of miR-16 and prognosis of solid cancer patients by meta-analysis and bioinformatic analysis.

Methods.

PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched until October 31, 2019, to identify eligible studies reporting the association of the miR-16 status with the prognosis of solid cancer patients.

Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled, and a heterogeneity test was conducted.

Sensitivity analysis and a publication bias test were also carried out.

Furthermore, the miRpower database was used to validate the association.

Results.

Thirteen articles with 2303 solid cancer patients were included in the meta-analysis.

Solid cancer patients with low expression level of miR-16 had shorter survival time (I2=84.0%, HR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.13-1.91, P=0.004).

In the subgroup analyses of cancer sites, low miR-16 expression level was associated with poor prognosis in the reproductive system cancers (I2=33.3%, HR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.06-1.45, P=0.008).

Sensitivity analysis suggested that the pooled HR was stable and omitting a single study did not change the significance of the pooled HR.

Begg’s test and Egger’s test revealed no publication bias in the meta-analysis.

In bioinformatic analysis, the significant association between miR-16 level and prognosis of patients with reproductive system cancers was further confirmed (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.42, P=0.017).

Conclusion.

Low expression level of miR-16 is an indicator for poor prognosis of solid cancer patients, particularly in reproductive system cancers.