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Abstract
Objective
C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CRP/Alb) is investigated as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer in previous studies, with presence of inconsistent data. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prognostic role of CRP/Alb in gastric cancer through meta-analysis.
Methods
This meta-analysis systemically retrieved PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang up to July 4, 2020. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were conducted to evaluate the association between CRP/Alb and survival outcomes.
Results
A total of nine studies with 3346 patients were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooled HR and 95%CI were: HR = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.64–2.19, p < 0.001 for overall survival (OS) and HR = 2.15, 95%CI = 1.72–2.70, p < 0.001 for disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analysis demonstrate that an elevated CRP/Alb remain a significant prognostic factor for poor OS and DFS irrespective of sample size, nationality of patients, or cutoff value resource (p < 0.05 in all subgroups).
Conclusions
The present meta-analysis suggests that high CRP/Alb is predictive of poor OS and DFS in gastric cancer. CRP/Alb is therefore a potential prognostic factor in the management of patients with gastric cancer.
Authors’ Contributions
LY and Y Lu collected, extracted performed quality assessment articles; Y Lu and Y Li analyzed the data; LY, Y Lu, and YW conceived, designed this study and wrote the paper. Y Li and YW reviewed the final manuscript. LY revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Disclosure Statement
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate
No ethical approval or informed consent statement was required for this article.