Abstract
BACKGROUND: Methylation of DAPK has been reported to play a key role in the initiation and progression of nasopharyngeal cancer. However, there are differences between the studies on it. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of DAPK promoter methylation for NPC. METHOD: The study method involves the systematic research of eligible studies based on criteria. The frequency, odds ratios (OR), sensitivity as well as specificity with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the effect sizes. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies, including 1048 NPC samples and 446 non-cancerous samples, were used for the meta-analysis. The overall frequencies of DAPK methylation were 56.94% and 9.28% in NPC samples and non-cancerous samples, respectively. The association between DAPK methylation and risk of NPC was also confirmed by calculating the OR value which was 13.13 (95%CI = 54.24-40.72) based on a random-effect model (Q = 64.74; p < 0.0001; I(2) = 81.47% with 95%CI for I(2) = 69.39-88.78). Additionally, the study results suggest that testing for DAPK methylation in tissue samples or brushing may provide a promising method for diagnosing NPC. CONCLUSION: This is the first meta-analysis that provided scientific evidence that methylation of the DAPK gene could serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and early screening of NPC patients.