title: Prognostic significance of tumor-associated macrophages density in gastric cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play a dual role in the development of gastric cancer (GC). This study aims to analyze the prognostic value of TAM density in GC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a meta-analysis of 11 studies (N.=1043) to investigate the correlation between TAM density and the overall survival (OS) or disease free survival (DFS) of GC patients. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the STATA statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HR of OS of GC patients with high-density TAM is 1.56 (95% CI: 0.90~2.22, P<0.001) as compared with those with low-density TAM, and that of DFS is 1.10 (95% CI: 0.16~2.03, P=0.022), indicating that TAM density does not significantly predict the poor survival of GC. A subgroup analysis by ethnicity also revealed no significance effect between TAM density and a worse OS among both Asians and Caucasians (Asians: HR=1.47, 95% CI: 0.76~2.18, P<0.001; Caucasians: HR=2.23, 95% CI: 0.62~3.84, P=0.007, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide empirical evidence that TAM density is not an independent predictor for the survival of GC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China - liyansd2@163.com.
authors.forename: Jiu Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xia F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Chao Q
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D015996:Survival Rate