Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25775399›Full record

ArticlePloS one2015

Fibroblast activation protein overexpression and clinical implications in solid tumors: a meta-analysis.

Fang Liu, Li Qi, Bao Liu, Jie Liu, Hua Zhang, DeHai Che, JingYan Cao, Jing Shen, JianXiong Geng, Yi Bi and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 128 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
128citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

128 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 220 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Diagnostic Performance of Radiolabelled FAPI Versus [International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
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  5. State-of-the-art of FAPI-PET imaging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2021
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  10. Diagnostic value of [Scientific reports · 2026
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  12. [Positron emission tomography in sarcomas].Radiologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026
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  15. Feasibility ofScientific reports · 2026
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68 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Fang LiuDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Li QiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Bao LiuDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Jie LiuDigestion Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Hegang Mining Group, Hegang, Heilonhjiang Province, China.
Hua ZhangDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
DeHai CheDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
JingYan CaoDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Jing ShenDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
JianXiong GengDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Yi BiDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Emergency Department, Heilongjiang Provincial Electric Power Hospital, Harbin, China.
LieGuang YeDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Bo PanDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Yan YuDepartment of Internal Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University · CNHarbin Medical University · CNHegang People's Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveFibroblast activation protein (FAP) plays a vital role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Previous studies have reported its prognostic value in different tumors. However, the results of these reports remain controversial. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to clarify this issue.

methodsA search of the PubMed, Embase and CNKI databases was conducted to analyze relevant articles. The outcomes included the relations between FAP expression and histological differentiation, tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and overall survival (OS). Sensitivity analysis by FAP expression in different cells and tumor types were further subjected to sensitivity analyses as subgroups. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) were evaluated using the random-effects model.

resultsThe global analysis included 15 studies concerning various solid tumors. For global analysis, FAP overexpression in tumor tissue displayed significant associations with poor OS and tumor progression (OS: HR = 2.18, P = 0.004; tumor invasion: OR = 4.48, P = 0.007; and lymph node metastasis: OR = 3.80, P = 0.004). The subgroup analyses yielded two notable results. First, the relation between FAP overexpression and poor OS and tumor lymph node metastasis was closer in the patients with FAP expression in tumor cells. Second, the pooled analyses of colorectal cancers or pancreatic cancers all indicated that FAP overexpression was associated with a detrimental OS (HR: 1.72, P = 0.009; HR: 3.18, P = 0.005, respectively). The magnitude of this effect was not statistically significant compared with that in patients with non-colorectal cancers or non-pancreatic cancers. These analyses did not display a statistically significant correlation between FAP expression and histological differentiation and distant metastasis in all of the groups.

conclusionsFAP expression is associated with worse prognosis in solid tumors, and this association is particularly pronounced if FAP overexpression is found in the tumor cells rather than the stroma.

Indexed as

Gene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesHumansLymphatic MetastasisMembrane ProteinsNeoplasm InvasivenessNeoplasmsSerine EndopeptidasesSurvival AnalysisEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesMembrane ProteinsSerine Endopeptidases

Identifiers

PMID25775399
PMCPMC4361589
OpenAlexW1981328412

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.