Reduced E-cadherin expression as a prognostic factor in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The exact role of E-cadherin in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is still unknown, and the aims of this study were to prove whether reduced E-cadherin expression can be a prognostic factor in patients with NMIBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the prognostic value of reduced E-cadherin expression in NMIBC. The PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were included in the study search. RESULTS: Fifteen studies with a total of 1538 NMIBC patients were included. The results showed that reduced E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) (pooled HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.22-3.85) and progression-free survival (PFS) (pooled HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.52-2.40) in NMIBC patients. CONCLUSION: E-cadherin can be a prognostic factor for patients with NMIBC.