title: Correlation of serum levels of endostatin with tumor stage in gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the association between serum endostatin levels and gastric cancer (GC) progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Current Contents Index, and several Chinese databases for published studies relevant to our study topic. Carefully selected studies were pooled and SMD and its corresponding 95% CI were calculated. Version 12.0 STATA software was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum endostatin levels were analyzed in 12 case-control studies (736 GC patients and 350 controls). Significant differences in serum endostatin levels were observed between GC patients and the healthy controls (SMD = 1.418, 95% CI = 1.079~1.757, P < 0.001). Importantly, significantly lower levels of serum endostatin were found in I-II grade patients compared to those with III-IV grade tumors (P < 0.001). Further, higher serum endostatin levels were observed in the LN invasion-positive GC subjects in comparison with LN invasion-negative subjects (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with GC exhibited elevated levels of serum endostatin than controls and its level showed a statistical correlation with the more aggressive type of GC, exhibiting invasion and LN metastasis. Thus, serum levels of endostatin being a useful prognostic biomarker for GC patients warrants further investigation.
authors: Department of Tumor, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, China.
authors: Zheng-Hua
authors: ZH
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Tumor, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, China.
authors: Zhi-Tu
authors: ZT
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, China.
authors: Xu-Yang
authors: XY
authors: Xiao
authors: Department of Tumor, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, China.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Sun
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D043169:Endostatins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D043169:Endostatins