[Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor-2 in Chinese breast cancer patients: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To study the expression of cerbB-2 and its clinical biology value in Chinese breast cancer patients by evidence based medical analysis.
Methods: All the published studies about cerbB-2 and breast cancer for the last 10 years were reviewed and standard techniques of meta-analysis to combined with the results of these studies were used to produce a more precise estimate of the prognostic significance expression of cerbB-2.
Results: The mean of cerbB-2 positive expression was 50% (95% confidence interval 48%-54%), cerbB-2 positive expression was related with node metastasis, recurrence after surgery and survival time; the RR values were 1.71, 2.14 and 2.32 respectively; tumor size, nuclear grade and pathology type were also the important factors that were related with the expression of cerbB-2, while the expression was not related with age; cerbB-2 was a special and sensitive prognostic factor for breast cancer.
Conclusion: cerbB-2 can be used as an independent molecular marker for definitive prognosis of breast cancer, as well as a reliable marker for choice of standard and individual therapy.