LncRNA PANDAR as a prognostic marker in Chinese cancer.

Background: LncRNA promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA (PANDAR) is reportedly dysregulated in various cancers. We performed this meta-analysis to clarify the efficacy of PANDAR as a prognostic marker in malignant tumors.

Methods: The PubMed, Medline, OVID, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to July 3, 2017. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to explore the relationship between PANDAR expression and overall survival (OS). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to assess the association between PANDAR expression and pathological parameters.

Results: Eight original studies covering 1,132 cancer patients were included. The pooled HR suggested that high PANDAR expression correlated with poor OS (pooled HR=1.60, 95% CI: 1.09-2.33) in cancer patients. PANDAR expression was also related to lymph node metastasis (OR=3.26, 95% CI: 2.09-5.09), advanced tumor stage (OR=3.60, 95% CI: 2.39-5.44) and histological grade (OR=2.75, 95% CI: 1.73-4.38). Begg's funnel plot showed no evidence of obvious asymmetry for overall survival and lymph node metastasis.

Conclusions: Thus high PANDAR expression appears predictive of poor OS, lymph node metastasis, advanced tumor stage and histological grade in multiple cancers. This suggests PANDAR expression could serve as a biomarker of poor prognosis in Chinese cancer patients.