Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) in patients with small cell lung cancer. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library and other databases (1966 to Sept 2009) to collect studies which evaluated the diagnostic value of Pro-GRP in patients with small cell lung cancer. The heterogeneity of the included studies was tested by the Cochrane Collaboration’s software RevMan 4.2. The Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic (SROC) curve and meta-analyses were performed by MetaDisc. Results A total of 256 relevant articles were retrieved and 19 were included in our review. Eleven studies involving 1 447 patients were included. Meta-analyses showed that the heterogeneity among studies was high (P﹤0.000 01, I2=69.3%), the pooled sensitivity was 0.717 and the pooled specificity was 0.963. Subgroup analyses indicated that 9 of the studies which used the LD (Limited diseases) SCLC group (P=0.003, I2=65.5%, SEN=0.637, SPE=0.968, SROC AUC=0.724 3) had heterogeneity and ED (Extensive diseases) SCLC group (P=0.2, I2=27.0%, SEN=0.766, SPE=0.968, SROC AUC=0.935 5) had no heterogeneity. And 15 of the studies of Pro-GRP which were determined by acmmercial sandwich ELISA (Japan) group (P=0.000 1, I2=68.5%) had heterogeneity. Three of the studies of Pro-GRP which were determined by ELISA (Germany) group (P=0.948 7, I2=0.001%) had no heterogeneity. Conclusion Pro-GRP could be regarded as one of the reference tests in patients with small cell lung cancer, but higher quality trials are required.
Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of interferon (IFN) maintenance therapy in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods We searched MEDLINE (1966-Jan.2006), EMbase (1984-Jan.2006), The Cochrane Library(Issue 1, 2006)and the Chinese Biomedical Database (1980-Jan.2006). We checked the references in the reports of related studies and handsearched the education books of ASCO and ESMO meetings. The quality of the included trials was evaluated. Data were extracted by two reviewers independently into a specially designed extraction form. The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2.7 software was used for data analysis. Results Five randomized controlled trials involving 587 patients were included. The pooled result of the 5 studies showed that IFN plus chemotherapy induction treatment did not have a significant effect on 1-year (RR 1.19, 95%CI 0.88-1.6) or 2-year survival rate (RR 1.44, 95% CI 0.99-2.10). However, IFN maintenance therapy significantly increased 2-year (RR 2.08, 95%CI 1.16-3.72) and 1-year survival (RR 2.99, 95%CI 1.13-7.93). Conclusion IFN maintenance therapy may increase 2-year and 1-year survival rates after patients have achieved complete or partial response to chemotherapy. Further randomized, double-blind multi-center trials are needed to investigate this further.