Prognostic value of Aurora kinase A (AURKA) expression among solid tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: The prognostic significance of Aurora kinase A expression in cancer patients is currently under debate. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the prognostic relevance of Aurora kinase A associated with survival in solid tumors. Methods: Pubmed was searched for studies evaluating the Aurora kinase A expression and survival in solid tumors through 10 October 2014. The main outcome analyzed was overall survival and secondary outcomes were progression-free survival, disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival. Pooled hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the association. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Results: Thirty-nine eligible studies enrolling 5523 patients were identified. The high Aurora kinase A expression level was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.81-2.95). Further subgroup analyses showed that our results were stable irrespective of the disease sites, stages and methods of Aurora kinase A expression. The high Aurora kinase A expression level was also associated with progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.96-3.69), disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.51) and cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-3.29). Conclusions: Our present meta-analysis indicates that the Aurora kinase A is an effective prognosticator in solid tumors patients. Further studies are required to explore the clinical utility of Aurora kinase A in solid tumor.

Novel miRNA-mRNA interactions conserved in essential cancer pathways

“…As such, caution should be exercised regarding the associations between gene regulation by miRNAs and patient prognosis. Nonetheless, we have recovered known associations in our survival analyses, some of which have been studied extensively in many tumours, like the roles on prognosis of genes AURKA 50515253 or BRCA1 5455. We also found novel stage-independent prognostic genes not described in the literature like CASC5 .…”

Open‐label, multicenter, phase 1 study of alisertib (MLN8237), an aurora A kinase inhibitor, with docetaxel in patients with solid tumors

“…Of the 18 patients with CRPC, 14 (78%) were evaluable by either RECIST or PSA response criteria . The ORR was 43% (6 of 14) and included either PSA or RECIST.…”

“…Overexpression of aurora A kinase (AAK) is carcinogenic and has been implicated in the development of breast, bladder, colon, ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach cancers . After cancer development, the levels of AAK may be prognostic of survival, with increased levels correlating with shorter survival …”

“…11,12 After cancer development, the levels of AAK may be prognostic of survival, with increased levels correlating with shorter survival. 13 Preclinical systems examining the effect of AAK inhibition on cancer have demonstrated an anticancer response, and AAK overexpression leads to resistance to taxane-based therapy. [14][15][16][17][18] For example, RNA silencing of AAK in a pancreatic cancer model suppressed cancer growth.…”

Establishment of a multimarker qPCR panel for the molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells in blood samples of metastatic breast cancer patients during the course of palliative treatment

“…With regard to AURKA, these results are in alignment with the results of Zhang et al who demonstrated that AURKA expression was significantly associated with a shorter OS by systematic review and meta-analysis in various solid tumors. For BC exclusively, the AURKA expression levels were not significantly associated with poor prognosis but patients receiving the AURKA inhibitor alisertib in a phase II study, showed significant response [63]. …”