Association between Ras association domain family 1A Promoter Methylation and Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: a Meta-analysis

RASSF1A has been reported to be a candidate tumor suppressor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC). However, the association between RASSF1A promoter methylation and ESCC remains unclear. Eligiblestudies were identified through searching PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and the China National KnowledgeInfrastucture database. Studies were pooled and odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding confidence intervals(CIs) were calculated. Funnel plots were also performed to evaluate publication bias. Twelve studies involving859 cases and 675 controls were included in this meta-analysis. A significant association was observed betweenRASSF1A methylation and ESCC overall (OR = 11.7, 95% CI: 6.59-20.9, z=8.36, P<0.00001). Subgroup analysisshowed that the OR for heterogeneous tissues was 5.35 (95% CI = 2.95–9.71) while for autologous tissues it was16.0 (8.31-30.96). For patient sample size, the OR for the <50 subgroup was 9.92 (95% CI = 2.88-34.2) and for the50 case group was 13.1 (95% CI = 6.59–25.91). The OR for a relationship between RASSF1A methylation andTNM stages was 0.27 (95% CI=0.10-0.77), whereas there were no significant differences in RASSF1A methylationin relation to gender and differentiation among ESCC cases. This meta-analysis suggests a significant associationbetween RASSF1A methylation and ESCC.