Prognostic value of c-Met overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis and review

The overexpression of c-Met protein has been detected in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its prognostic impact remains uncertain. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of c-Met overexpression in patients who underwent curative surgical resection for HCC. A systematic computerized search of the electronic databases was carried out. From 5 studies, 1,408 patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with patients with HCC having low c-Met expression, patients with c-Met-high tumor showed significantly worse relapse-free survival (hazard ratio = 1.26 [95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.56], P = 0.03) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.16 [95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.31], P = 0.01). In conclusion, our meta-analysis indicates that c-Met overexpression is a significant adverse prognostic factor for recurrence and survival in patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC.