Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41018071›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2025

Visceral fat area as a prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of survival outcomes.

Lei Liu, Shufu Hou, Bing Yan, Ruiqi Hao, Linchuan Li, Dandan Song

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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.

Lei Liu *Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Shufu Hou *Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Bing YanDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Ruiqi HaoDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xintai City People's Hospital, Xintai, Shandong, China.
Linchuan LiDepartment of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Dandan SongDepartment of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Visceral fat area (VFA) has been suggested as an alternative to body mass index (BMI) for evaluating the effects of obesity and fat distribution. Although VFA has shown potential as a predictor of perioperative complications and surgical duration, its prognostic value in gastric cancer patients remains contentious. This meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the prognostic significance of VFA in this patient population. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and EMBASE databases, including literature published up to July 31, 2024, to investigate the prognostic implications of VFA in postoperative and non-surgical gastric cancer patients. Outcome measures encompassed overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), disease free survival (DFS). Results: A total of 6,054 eligible patients were selected from 12 studies. The results indicated a significant association between elevated VFA and improved OS and DFS/RFS (OS: HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.65-0.90, p = 0.001; DFS: HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.95, p = 0.004). Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of these findings. Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrated that among patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery or other treatments, elevated VFA was significantly associated with improved OS and DFS/RFS. Consequently, VFA may serve as a useful prognostic indicator for assessing the prognosis of gastric cancer patients following treatment. However, further prospective studies are necessary to validate these findings and confirm the reliability of VFA as a prognostic marker. Systematic review registration: https://inplasy.com/, identifier INPLASY202490078.

Indexed as

disease-free survivalgastric cancermeta -analysisoverall survivalvisceral fat area

Identifiers

PMID41018071
PMCPMC12464696

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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.