Extent of breast cancer type 1 promoter methylation correlates with clinicopathological features in breast cancers.

AIM OF STUDY

The current meta-analysis investigated the correlation between breast cancer type 1 (BRCA1) promoter methylation and the clinicopathological features of breast cancer (BC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An electronic literature search was performed to identify and select cohort studies, by employing stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, for data relevant to promoter methylation of BRCA1 and BC. Statistical analysis of the extracted data was performed using comprehensive meta-analysis 2.0 software (CMA 2.0) (Biostat Inc., Englewood, New Jersey, USA).

RESULTS

A total of 125 published studies were retrieved from the literature search, and finally, 18 cohort studies meeting our inclusion criteria were incorporated into our meta-analysis. The 18 studies contained a total of 3213 BC patients. Meta-analysis results revealed that BRCA1 promoter methylation in BC patients with high and moderately differentiated tumors (I-II) was significantly lower than patients with poorly-differentiation tumors (III) (odds ratio [OR] =0.450, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] =0.241-0.838, P = 0.012). BRCA1 promoter methylation in BC patients with lymph node (LN) metastasis was significantly higher than patients without LN metastasis (OR = 2.244, 95% CI = 1.278-3.940, P = 0.005). The results of ethnicity-based subgroup analysis showed a significant difference in histological grade of BC on Asians, LN metastasis of BC in Asians and Caucasians, subtypes of BC in Caucasians, and age at diagnosis of BC patients in Caucasians (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis revealed that BRCA1 promoter methylation status is linked to tumor grade and LN metastasis of BC.