157
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Meta-analysis

The assessment of circulating tumor DNA associated with Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway as a diagnostic tool for liver cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

, , , , , , & show all
Pages 155-167 | Received 19 Aug 2023, Accepted 21 Jan 2024, Published online: 05 Feb 2024
 

ABSTRACT

Background

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in peripheral blood has become a promising noninvasive biomarker. However, the diagnostic potential of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA for liver cancer is controversial. Here, we aimed to access the diagnostic potential and clinicopathological features of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA in liver cancer and provide data support for its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify the relevant studies. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool. The bivariate linear mixed models were used.

Results

The AUC (area under the curve), pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.77, 0.42 and 0.98, respectively. The findings suggested that control type, sample source, research methods and thresholds were the potential sources of heterogeneity (p < 0.05). Additionally, this study also found that there were significant correlations between the hypermethylation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA and tumor size, TNM stage, distant metastasis, and HBV infection(p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study confirmed that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA had the better diagnostic potential for liver cancer and might be an effective complementary tool for serum AFP assays in the early diagnosis of liver cancer.

Prospero

(No. CRD42023404984).

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Article highlights

  • Genetic alterations in genes related to Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which detected in ctDNA promotes HCC tumorigenesis and cancer progression

  • The current study demonstrates that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA has the better diagnostic potential for liver cancer.

  • The hypermethylation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related ctDNA is related to tumor size, TNM stage, distant metastasis, and HBV infection.

  • 86% of the included studies utilized a two-gate design for quality assessment, which might have introduced selection bias.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Ethical approval and Informed consent

All analyses in the current study are aligned with established medical ethics guidelines. The current study is solely based on data that has already been published in the public domain. Thus, ethical approval and informed consent was not needed.

Data availability statement

This study’s generated or analyzed data are all included in the published article, or provided as supplementary files.

Author contribution statement

X Ma: Conception and design, collection and assembly of data, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing and final approval of the manuscript. Z Wang: Conception and design, data analysis, manuscript writing and final approval of the manuscript (equivalent contributor). S Wang: Data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing. Y Tian: Data analysis and interpretation, manuscript writing. B Xie: Manuscript writing and final approval of the manuscript. J Li: Data analysis and interpretation. B Ma: Study design, conceptualization, analysis, manuscript writing and final approval of the manuscript. L Li: study design, conceptualization, analysis, manuscript writing and final approval of the manuscript.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14737140.2024.2312246

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [82272405, 82060531, 81602622]; General Projects of Gansu Provincial Joint Research Fund [23JRRA1503]; Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project of Lanzhou [2023RC28]; Internationally Technological Cooperation Project of Gansu Province [18YF1WA117]; Health Industrial Outstanding Youth Talent Project of Gansu Province [GSWSQN2022-02]; and Cuiying Scientific and Technological Innovation Program of Lanzhou University Second Hospital [CY2021-MS-A20].

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.