Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24498011›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2014

Prognostic role of pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% in hepatocellular carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jiwen Cheng, Wanli Wang, Yingjun Zhang, Xi Liu, Muxing Li, Zheng Wu, Zhengwen Liu, Yi Lv, Bo Wang

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jiwen ChengDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China ; Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Wanli WangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China ; Department of General Surgery, Bazhong Central Hospital, Bazhong, Sichuan, China.
Yingjun ZhangDepartment of General Surgery, Bazhong Central Hospital, Bazhong, Sichuan, China.
Xi LiuDepartment of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Muxing LiDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China ; Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Zheng WuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Zhengwen LiuInstitute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China ; Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Yi LvDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China ; Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Bo WangDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSerum lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of α-fetoprotein (AFP-L3%) has been widely used for HCC diagnosis and follow-up surveillance as tumor serologic marker. However, the prognostic value of high pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial. We therefore conduct a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between high pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% and clinical outcome of HCC.

methodsEligible studies were identified through systematic literature searches. A meta-analysis of fifteen studies (4,465 patients) was carried out to evaluate the association between high pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also conducted in this meta-analysis.

resultsOur analysis results showed that high pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% implied poor OS (HR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.45-1.89 p<0.00001) and DFS (HR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.49-2.17 p<0.00001) of HCC. Subgroup analysis revealed that there was association between pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% and endpoint (OS and DFS) in low AFP concentration HCC patients (HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.24-3.10, p = 0.004; HR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.09-5.89, p = 0.03, respectively).

conclusionThe current evidence suggests that high pre-treatment serum AFP-L3% levels indicated a poor prognosis for patients with HCC and AFP-L3% may have significant prognostic value in HCC patients with low AFP concentration.

Indexed as

alpha-FetoproteinsCarcinoma, HepatocellularDisease-Free SurvivalHumansLiver NeoplasmsPrognosisProportional Hazards ModelsTreatment Outcomealpha-Fetoproteins

Identifiers

PMID24498011
PMCPMC3907387

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.