Can Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Microvessel Density Be Used as Prognostic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Pooled HR and subgroup analysis on the association between VEGF/MVD and survival of CRC comparing the high group with the low group and publication bias.

Subgroups	Number of studies	Pooled HR (95% CI)	𝑃 value	𝐼^2	Publication bias				Between subgroup 𝑃 value
					𝑃 for Begger	𝑃 for Egger	Number of trim and fill	Adjusted HR (95% CI)
VEGF (OS)	16	1.98 (1.30–3.02)	<0.01	73.64	0.02	<0.01	5 left	1.51 (1.02–2.23)
Racial descent		1.46 (1.08–1.98)	0.01	73.64	—	—	—	—
America	1	0.57 (0.34–0.95)	0.03	0.00	—	—	—	—	<0.01
Asia	11	1.90 (1.17–3.09)	0.01	72.09	—	—	—	—
Europe	4	3.42 (1.90–6.14)	<0.01	0.00	—	—	—	—
Age		2.02 (1.29–3.16)	<0.01	73.64	—	—	—	—
<65	9	1.91 (1.05–3.46)	0.03	73.71	—	—	—	—	0.77
≥65	7	2.18 (1.11–4.30)	0.02	75.01	—	—	—	—
Follow-up		2.19 (1.47–3.26)	<0.01	77.97	—	—	—	—
<60 months	8	1.39 (0.81–2.36)	0.23	78.14	—	—	—	—	0.01
≥60 months	4	3.90 (2.15–7.07)	<0.01	0.00	—	—	—	—
VEGF (DFS)	9	2.10 (1.26–3.49)	<0.01	71.44	0.25	0.02	2 left	1.77 (1.11–2.84)
MVD (OS)	18	1.39 (1.22–1.58)	<0.01	83.14	0.97	<0.01	6 left	1.22 (1.07–1.40)
Racial descent		1.44 (1.23–1.68)	<0.01	83.14	—	—	—	—
America	2	1.57 (0.50–4.95)	0.44	73.92	—	—	—	—	0.55
Asia	7	1.35 (1.12–1.63)	<0.01	84.59	—	—	—	—
Europe	9	1.62 (1.24–2.12)	<0.01	81.06	—	—	—	—
Age		1.44 (1.1–1.89)	<0.01	82.78	—	—	—	—
<65	6	2.17 (1.23–3.83)	<0.01	81.66	—	—	—	—	0.11
≥65	6	1.28 (0.94–1.74)	0.11	86.31	—	—	—	—
Follow-up		1.41 (1.21–1.63)	<0.01	83.14	—	—	—	—
<60 months	9	1.35 (1.14–1.60)	<0.01	82.99	—	—	—	—	0.33
≥60 months	9	1.60 (1.19–2.16)	<0.01	84.44	—	—	—	—

DFS: disease-free survival; HR: hazard ratio; OS: overall survival; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor.