Data from: Prognostic value of ki67 in BCG-treated non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of
ki67 as a marker in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients
treated with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG). Methods: Studies were
systematically retrieved from the relevant databases (Web of Science,
PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase), and the expiry date was May 2017.
The research steps referred to the Preferred Reporting Items for
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. Results: A total of 11
studies that complied with the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The
expression of ki67 was not statistically significantly associated with
recurrence-free survival (RFS) [hazard ratio (HR): 1.331; 95% CI:
0.980–1.809)]. No significant heterogeneity was found among all included
studies (I2 = 36.7%, P = 0.148). The expression of ki67 was statistically
significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS) (HR: 2.567;
95% CI: 1.562–4.219), and the overexpression of ki67 was the risk factor
for PFS. Significant heterogeneity was noted among all the included
studies (I2 = 55.6%, P = 0.021). The studies that might cause
heterogeneity were excluded using the Galbraith plot, and then the
meta-analysis was performed again. The results showed that the expression
of ki67 was still associated with PFS (HR: 2.922; 95% CI: 2.002–4.266).
Conclusions: The overexpression of ki67 was the risk factor for PFS, and
the relationship between the expression of ki67 and RFS was not
statistically significant in patients with NMIBC treated with BCG
intravesical immunotherapy. Well-designed, prospective, randomized
controlled trials with a large sample size are still needed to validate
the findings.