Meta and pooled analyses of FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism as a cancer prognostic factor

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) contains a
Gly388Arg functional polymorphism (rs351855) that has
shown contrasting results in association studies. In this
study, we assessed the association between the
FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism and cancer prognosis.
Meta-analysis and pooled analysis of 6817 and 2537
cancer cases, respectively, were carried out by nodal status
and overall survival. The study included the following
types of cancer: brain, breast, colorectal, head and neck,
larynx, lung, melanoma, prostate, sarcomas. A statistically
significant association between the Arg388Arg genotype
and nodal involvement was found in the meta-analysis
(odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.74).
In the pooled analysis, the Arg388 allele carriers showed
an increased hazard of poor overall survival compared
with homozygous carriers of the common Gly388 allele,
even after adjusting for nodal status (hazard ratio = 1.21,
95% confidence interval 1.05–1.40). These results
provide evidence of a role for the FGFR4 Gly388Arg
polymorphism in modulating patients’ outcome in different
types of cancer, thus offering to clinicians a new
marker to predict predisposition to poor survival in
cancer patients