Long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 is a novel biomarker in various cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the literature and GEO datasets

Yumin Wang; Yongzhen Mo; Xiang Yang; Ruoyu Zhou; Zeyu Wu; Yuchen He; Xue Yang; Yaxian Zhong; Yajun Du; Hang Zhou; Xiaoling Li; Yong Li; Guiyuan Li; Zhaoyang Zeng; Can Guo; Wei Xiong

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.21830

Long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 is a novel biomarker in various cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the literature and GEO datasets

Oncotarget. 2017 Oct 11;8(60):102346-102360. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.21830. eCollection 2017 Nov 24.

Authors

Yumin Wang^#^{1

2

3}, Yongzhen Mo^#^{1

2

3}, Xiang Yang¹, Ruoyu Zhou^{1

2}, Zeyu Wu¹, Yuchen He¹, Xue Yang^{1

2}, Yaxian Zhong^{1

2}, Yajun Du^{1

2}, Hang Zhou¹, Xiaoling Li^{1

2

3}, Yong Li^{2

4}, Guiyuan Li^{1

2

3}, Zhaoyang Zeng^{1

2

3}, Can Guo^{1

2

3}, Wei Xiong^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis of Ministry of Health, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Disease Genome Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁴ Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Growing evidence indicates that AFAP1-AS1 plays an important role in various cancers, suggesting that it might be a potential cancer biomarker.

Materials and methods: A meta-analysis was performed using microarray data obtained via the Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 platform (found in the GEO database) and data obtained through a systematic search of PubMed and Web of Science. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI (confidence interval) were used to judge the value of biomarkers.

Results: A total of 30 studies were included in this meta-analysis, comprising a total of 3573 patients. AFAP1-AS1 was significantly linked with overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.12-2.23) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.68-3.19). We found that AFAP1-AS1 was a risk factor in the prognoses of lung cancer (pooled HR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.01-2.34), digestive system cancer (pooled HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.45-2.41) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (HR: 11.82; 95% CI: 5.09-27.46). AFAP1-AS1 was also a risk factor for RFS in breast cancer (pooled HR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.69-4.98), as well as TNM stage in both esophageal cancer (pooled OR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.01-3.57) and colorectal cancer (OR = 6.72; 95% CI: 1.92-23.58). AFAP1-AS1 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in clear cell carcinoma (OR = 5.04; 95% CI: 2.36-10.78) and distant metastasis in pancreatic cancer (OR = 11.64; 95% CI: 2.13-63.78).

Conclusions: AFAP1-AS1 can serve as a novel molecular marker predicting tumor progression, patient prognosis and lymph node metastasis in different types of cancers.

Keywords: AFAP1-AS1; biomarker; cancer; long noncoding RNA; meta-analysis.