Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic value of SOX1 methylation across different cervical cancer types, including squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, to assess its efficacy as a biomarker. METHODS: We reviewed studies published up to March 2024, employing a PICOS-based search strategy in databases like PubMed and Web of Science. We included clinical studies providing diagnostic performance indicators while excluding non-clinical and small-sample studies. Meta-Disc1.4 and Stata15.1 were used for statistical analyses focusing on SOX1 methylation's sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio. RESULTS: Twelve articles encompassing 18 studies with 3,213 subjects were analyzed. The overall DOR for SOX1 methylation in cervical cancer diagnosis was 68.95 (95%CI: 27.63-172.07), with a Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic AUC of 0.92, indicating high diagnostic accuracy. Specifically, the DOR for adenocarcinoma was 87.57 (95%CI: 7.05-1087.44) with an AUC of 0.89, and for squamous cell carcinoma, it was 245.87 (95% CI: 26.49-2282.40) with an AUC of 0.93, reflecting significant diagnostic potential for both cancer types. No substantial publication bias was detected (P > 0.10). CONCLUSION: SOX1 gene methylation demonstrates significant diagnostic value for both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, particularly effective in large sample sizes and cervical exfoliated cell samples for early detection and screening, supporting its utility as a reliable biomarker.