Background: Multiple studies have assessed the prognostic significance of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with breast cancer, but their results remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of LDH in breast cancer by meta-analysis.
Methods: Electronic searches for relevant articles were conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases. The HR and their 95% CI were used to assess the prognostic value of serum LDH. Stata Statistical Software 12.0 was applied for statistical analysis.
Results: A total of 11 studies involving 6,102 patients were subjected to final analysis. Our results showed that higher serum LDH had significant effect on poor overall survival (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.68–2.11) and progression-free survival (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.46–2.68). Moreover, the results of subgroup analyses were consistent with that of overall outcomes. No significant heterogeneity and publication bias were found in this study.
Conclusion: Serum LDH could act as a prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Future data are needed to validate and update our results.
Keywords: breast cancer, lactate dehydrogenase, prognosis, biomarker, meta-analysis