The role of CLDN18.2 in gastric cancer prognosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is a major global cause of cancer mortality, with a median overall survival of just 12 months. CLDN18.2, a specific isoform of Claudin18 normally expressed in the gastric mucosa, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker due to its exposure on the surface of tumor cells following malignant transformation. This exposure allows CLDN18.2's extracellular loops to bind monoclonal antibodies, presenting new opportunities for targeted therapy and improved prognostic assessment. METHODS: values of ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio, version 4.2.3. RESULTS: = 37%) when compared to CLDN18.2-positive patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings establish CLDN18.2 as a robust negative prognostic indicator for overall survival in GC patients. While its impact on PFS was not statistically significant, the association with OS suggests CLDN18.2 may serve as a marker for complex biological processes underlying tumor advancement.