Gastrointestinal cancers (GICs), encompassing malignancies of the esophagus, stomach, and colorectal regions, are among the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Given the inconsistent and heterogeneous findings across studies, this meta-analysis aims to comprehensively assess the association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and the risk of GICs.

Previous observational studies have indicated that omega-3 may reduce the risk of various cancers. However, the relationship between omega-3 and the incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between omega-3 and the risk of developing MM, while also exploring the potential mediating role of plasma lipids in this association. First, we conducted a two-sample MR study with MM using the omega-3 GWAS data from Richardson TG. We then repeated the validation with the other three omega-3 GWAS data and performed a meta-analysis of the MR results for a total of four omega-3 data. In the second step, we used multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analyses to adjust for the effects of confounders and explore the direct causal effects of omega-3 with MM. In the third step, we employed a two-step MR to investigate the potential mediating roles of 179 plasma lipids in the association between omega-3 and the risk of MM. Multiple sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of the results. A two-sample MR analysis found that omega-3 can reduce the risk of MM (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.69-0.94; P = 0.005). In subsequent validation, omega-3 data from both Kettunen J and Davyson E yielded similar results. However, data from Zhang S indicated that omega-3 was not associated with MM risk. Ultimately, the meta-analysis results demonstrated that omega-3 can lower the risk of MM (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.88; P < 0.001). Furthermore, MVMR analysis, after adjusting for relevant risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, confirmed that omega-3 still reduces the risk of MM. Finally, two-step MR identified phosphatidylcholine (18:2_20:4) as a potential mediator of the causal relationship between omega-3 and MM. Various sensitivity analyses validated the robustness of these findings. Our study suggests that omega-3 may reduce the incidence risk of MM by increasing the levels of phosphatidylcholine (18:2_20:4). We hope that these findings will provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of MM.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal malignancy, ranking tenth in incidence among all cancers and standing as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of exosomal biomarkers for detecting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A total of 1,666 records were identified through comprehensive searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 15 studies comprising 1,961 individuals (971 PDAC patients and 990 controls) were included. The quality of studies was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool, revealing potential biases mainly in patient selection and index test domains. Three biomarker categories were analyzed: exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs), cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), and glypican-1 (GPC1). ExomiRs demonstrated the highest pooled sensitivity (0.86; 95 % CI: 0.80-0.90) and lowest negative likelihood ratio (0.16; 95 % CI: 0.11-0.24), while CA 19-9 showed the highest specificity (0.91; 95 % CI: 0.84-0.95) and positive likelihood ratio (8.5; 95 % CI: 4.4-16.4). ExomiRs also had the highest diagnostic odds ratio (DOR = 35.4; 95 % CI: 18.7-67.0) and area under the SROC curve (AUC = 0.92; 95 % CI: 0.89-0.94), indicating superior diagnostic performance compared to CA 19-9 and GPC1 (AUC = 0.88 and 0.78, respectively). GPC1 consistently showed lower diagnostic metrics across all analyses. Deeks' funnel plot suggested no publication bias for CA 19-9 and GPC1, but indicated potential bias for exomiRs (P = 0.01). Overall, exomiRs appear to be promising non-invasive biomarkers for the early detection of PDAC, outperforming traditional and other exosome-based markers in diagnostic accuracy.

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with notable geographic variation in incidence and mortality. Its risk is shaped by both environmental and genetic factors. Among the genetic contributors, ESR1 intronic polymorphisms such as XbaI and PvuII have been associated with breast cancer susceptibility, though results across populations remain inconsistent.

We still do not know the exact cause of bladder cancer (BC).

The prognostic significance of BRCA1/2 mutation and RB1 alteration (Alt) in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer (BC) treated with endocrine therapy (ET) ± cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) remains unresolved. This meta-analysis aimed to define their influence on therapy outcomes in the early and metastatic stages.

The heterogeneous nature of c-MET overexpression in gastric cancer (GC) leads to a lack of consensus on its prognostic significance.

High expression levels of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) have been recognized as poor survival in several different cancers. Nevertheless, the significance of CD47 in patients with solid tumors remains controversial.

BackgroundCircular (circ)RNAs are essential regulators in cancer development and progression. CircPVT1, derived from exon 2 (410 nucleotides) of PVT1 gene located at 8q24, has been widely recognized as an oncogenic circRNA frequently upregulated in various human cancers. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of circPVT1 for human cancers.MethodsArticles published up to July 2024 were searched across four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases). A meta-analysis was conducted under a random effects model and the diagnostic performance was evaluated using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Subgroup analysis of circPVT1 in different cancer types and tissues was performed.ResultsOverall, 12 studies (1246 patients) were included for diagnostic outcome synthesis. The pooled sensitivity was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.77-0.88) and specificity of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.73-0.87), with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86-0.91), highlighting the robust diagnostic value of circPVT1. Multiple studies have revealed that circPVT1 functions as a micro RNA sequester to modulate downstream gene expression, affecting various malignant behaviors in cancers.ConclusionThis study enhances our understanding of the role and mechanism of circPVT1 in human cancers and supports its potential as a promising diagnostic biomarker for various cancer types.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and inflammation-associated cancers. The potential prognostic value of calcyclin-binding protein (CACYBP) in HCC remains unclear. We aimed to perform meta-analysis to clarify the association of CACYBP expression with prognosis.

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combining neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Both dabrafenib and trametinib (D + T) and anti-PD(L)1s have been shown to improve recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with stage III or resected stage IV BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have directly compared them in the adjuvant setting, creating uncertainties about the optimal approach. This systematic review and meta-analysis address this knowledge gap.

Vitamin intake may reduce gastrointestinal cancer risk, but how genetic polymorphisms in vitamin metabolism affect this association remains unclarified. This meta-analysis examined whether genetic polymorphisms in vitamin metabolism influence the association between dietary and circulating vitamins and the risk of gastrointestinal cancers.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of molecular alterations beyond those included in the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE), in order to identify biomarkers that could improve prognostic stratification within the No Specific Molecular Profile (NSMP) subgroup of endometrial cancers.

The response to systemic therapy against metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is currently assessed by radiologic imaging. However, an increasing number of studies have shown that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as liquid biopsy can be used as an alternative method to assess therapy efficacy. We conducted a systematic review with subsequent meta-analysis of primary studies to assess the prognostic value of sequential liquid biopsies in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with systemic therapy.

Brain metastasis is a common and serious complication in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), often associated with poor prognosis. While traditional diagnostic approaches such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology are commonly used for detection, these methods have notable limitations. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in CSF has been reported as a superior alternative. This study evaluates the diagnostic test accuracy of CSF ctDNA for CNS metastases detection in patients with NSCLC, in comparison to CSF cytology, while also examining its potential prognostic value.

Almost 60 % of breast cancers (BCs) diagnosed in germline BRCA1/2 mutation (gBRCAm) carriers are HR+/HER2-. Sparse data suggest limited CDK4/6 inhibitors benefit among gBRCAm carriers. However, prespecified subgroup analyses from pivotal trials are lacking, and current data quality is poor given the small patient populations.

NOTCH1 and SF3B1 mutations are common in CLL, but their prognostic value for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), as well as time to first treatment (TTFT) and treatment-free survival (TFS), remains uncertain. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates their impact. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was performed up to March 2025. Relevant study data and prognostic outcomes were extracted, and pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models based on heterogeneity. A total of 38 studies with 24,060 CLL patients met the criteria. Among them, 32 and 23 studies evaluated the prognostic impact of NOTCH1 and SF3B1 mutations, respectively. Compared to wild-type, NOTCH1 mutations were associated with worse OS (HR = 1.88), PFS (HR = 1.42), TTFT (HR = 1.63), and TFS (HR = 2.46). SF3B1 mutations similarly predicted poor OS (HR = 1.68), with HRs of 1.63, 1.24, and 1.70 for PFS, TTFT, and TFS. Subgroup analysis showed worse OS in older and treatment-naïve patients. These findings suggest that NOTCH1 and SF3B1 mutations are significant adverse prognostic markers in CLL. Increasing evidence supports their inclusion in clinical risk stratification and personalized treatment planning, especially when combined with patient-specific clinical and molecular features.

LC continues to be the leading cause of cancer mortality globally, among both males and females, representing a major public health challenge. The impact of mitochondria on human health and disease is a rapidly growing focus in scientific research, due to their critical roles in cellular survival and death. Mitochondria play an important role in controlling imperative cellular parameters, and alterations in mtDNAcn might be crucial for LC development. MtDNAcn has been studied as a possible marker for LC risk, but its role in prevention is still unclear. This review and meta-analysis aims to summarize the current evidence and provide an overall estimate of the relationship between the mtDNA copy number in human samples like blood and sputum. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were used for studies published up to February 2024, following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Studies were combined using a random-effects model, and we assessed the heterogeneity between studies with the chi-square-based Cochran's Q statistic and the I2 statistic. Publication bias was checked using Begg's and Egger's tests. Five studies, including a total of 3.748 participants, met the eligibility criteria. The MtDNA copy number was measured in blood or sputum samples and compared across different quantiles. The pooled analysis did not find a significant association between the mtDNA copy number and LC risk (OR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.49-1.78). Moreover, when looking at different study designs, no significant results were found, due to the small number of studies available. No significant publication bias was detected. Further studies are needed to better understand the connection between the mtDNA copy number and LC risk and to better understand the role of potential confounders.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, particularly in Asia. Despite therapeutic advancements, the prognosis of HCC remains poor. MicroRNAs have emerged as potential biomarkers for HCC prognosis and therapeutic response. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between circulating miR-542-3p levels and HCC progression. Seven studies on HCC and miR-542-3p were selected for the meta-analysis. miR-542-3p showed significant diagnostic potential for HCC prognosis and therapeutic evaluation. Two independent researchers performed data extraction and used the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) method to assess the quality and risk of bias of the included studies. After the meta-analysis, human miRNA pattern analysis was conducted using the miRBase database, and the expression of miR-542-3p was confirmed based on the results obtained from the human miRNA profile in the tissue atlas database. miR-542-3p has been shown to have significant diagnostic potential for HCC prognosis and therapeutic evaluation. The pooled sensitivity was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.75-0.83), while the pooled specificity was 0.34 (95% CI, 0.29-0.40). The diagnostic odds ratio was 7.2, with an AUC of 0.806, indicating moderate diagnostic accuracy. Network analysis in miRBase links miR-542-3p to liver function, and its location on the X chromosome allows its expression in both sexes, making it widely applicable for the diagnosis of HCC. Thus, miR-542-3p has potential as a prognostic biomarker for HCC, with prospects for integration into therapeutic strategies. Future studies should explore the combination of this with targeted therapies to improve patient outcomes.