Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39816018›Full record

ArticleJournal of gastrointestinal oncology2024

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic role of fibroblast-activation protein in gastrointestinal cancers.

Yoshiaki Sunami, Rubing Bai, Juliane Friedrichs, Ulrich Ronellenfitsch, Jörg Kleeff, Artur Rebelo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of gastrointestinal oncology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

6 authors.

Yoshiaki SunamiDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1235-7512
Rubing BaiDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Juliane FriedrichsDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Ulrich RonellenfitschDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Jörg KleeffDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Artur RebeloDepartment of Visceral, Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer, are characterized by a dense stromal tumor microenvironment where cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) predominate. CAFs comprise highly heterogeneous subpopulations with different functions, which can be both tumor-promoting and tumor-restraining. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to comprehensively assess the impact of the CAF marker fibroblast-activation protein (FAP) expression on clinical outcomes in GI cancers. Methods: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov for relevant articles. Inclusion criteria involved studies comparing GI cancer patients with and without FAP overexpression. Meta-analysis evaluated overall survival (OS), histological differentiation, local tumor invasion, lymph node metastases, and distant metastases. For each observational study, the risk of bias was assessed using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of exposure (ROBINS-E) tool. Results: The meta-analysis included 31 cohort studies from six countries, comprising 3,976 patients. Patients without FAP overexpression exhibited a favorable OS [hazard ratio (HR) =1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51-2.01]. Subgroup analyses revealed consistent results across esophageal, pancreatic, colorectal, and gastric cancers. While one-year survival rates showed no significant difference, subsequent years displayed lower rates for FAP-overexpressing groups. Lymph node metastases were more frequent in FAP-overexpressing patients, whereas distant metastases did not differ. None of 31 studies systematically controlled confounding and adjusted data so that all studies were categorized as "high risk of bias" for the domain "risk of bias due to confounding". For domains "risk of bias arising from measurement of exposure", "risk of bias due to post-exposure interventions", "risk of bias arising from measurement of outcomes", and "risk of bias in selection of the reported result", all studies were categorized as "low risk of bias". Conclusions: This meta-analysis underscores the potential adverse prognostic significance of FAP expression in GI cancers. Limitations include heterogeneity in FAP expression cutoffs and definitions. Future research should focus on delineating the precise roles and clinical implications of FAP in GI cancers.

Indexed as

cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)Fibroblast-activation protein (FAP)gastrointestinal cancers (GI cancers)meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID39816018
PMCPMC11732333

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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.