Table 1 Baseline characteristics of included studies (n = 35)
No.of Refs. | Authors (year) | Country | Inclusion period | Study design | Number of cases (F/M) | Median Age (years) (range) | Tumor type (stage) | Treatment | LMR cutoff value | Follow-up period (months) | End points | Analysis of hazard ratio | Adjusted variables | Quality score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Chen et al. (2015) | China | 2011–2013 | Retrospective | 253 (104/149) | 65.2 | Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (IIIB, IV) | Molecular targeted | 3.29 | 24.02 | PFS, OS | Multivariable | Distant metastasis, Malignant effusion, PS | 8 |
17 | Qi et al. (2015) | China | 2011–2013 | Retrospective | 211 (134/77) | 61.2 | Pancreatic cancer (III, IV) | Chemo | 3.3 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Tumor stage, CA19-9 | 7 |
18 | Song et al. (2015) | Korea | 2006–2013 | Retrospective | 177 (83/94) | 52 (25–81) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Herbal medication, Acupuncture | 3.4 | 3.1 (0.1–33.3) | OS | Multivariable | mGPS, CA19-9, Aspartate aminotransferase, Korean medicine treatment duration | 7 |
19 | Jiang et al. (2015) | China | 2003–2009 | Retrospective | 672 (546/126) | 46 (13–79) | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (IV) | Chemo, Radio | 2.475 | NR | OS | Multivariable | N stage, No. of metastatic lesions, Liver metastasis | 7 |
4 | Lin et al. (2014) | China | 2006–2010 | Retrospective | 256 (179/77) | 53.6 (35–69) | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (IV) | Chemo | 5.07 | 22.6 (5.1–42.3) | OS | Multivariable | Age, ECOG performance status, Liver metastasis, No. of metastatic sites | 8 |
15 | Facciorusso et al. (2016) | Italy | 2003–2012 | Retrospective | 127 (88/39) | 66 (38–88) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | RF ablation | 3.96 | 63 (54–71) | OS | Multivariable | Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, CEA, No. of nodules, Max diameter | 8 |
5 | Minami et al. (2017) | Japan | 2007–2017 | Retrospective | 152 (57/95) | 70.3 | Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (III, IV) | Molecular targeted | 5.09 | NR | PFS, OS | Multivariable | Distant metastasis, ECOG PS, BMI, EGFR-TKI line, Ccr, Sodium, LDH, CRP | 6 |
20 | Zhu et al. (2017) | China | 2008–2015 | Retrospective | 672 | 55 (30–70) | Epithelial ovarian cancer (III, IV) | Chemo | 3.45 | 38 (5–103) | PFS, OS | Multivariable | FIGO stage, CA-125, Chemosensitivity, Residual tumor | 8 |
21 | Li et al. (2016) | China | 2003–2004 | Retrospective | 424 | 47 (18–74) | Cervical carcinoma (II-IV) | Radio, Chemo | 5.28 | 73 | PFS, OS | Multivariable | HPV DNA status, FIGO classification, pathological type, Lymph node status classification | 8 |
22 | Fukuda et al. (2018) | Japan | 1986–2015 | Retrospective | 152 (109/43) | 64 | Renal cell carcinoma (IV) | Surgery | 3.23 | 14 | OS | Univariate | – | 8 |
23 | Li et al. (2017) | China | 2008–2014 | Retrospective | 122 | NR | Hepatocellular carcinoma (III) | Surgery | 3 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Barcelona clinic liver cancer, Tumor size, Tumor stage, Pathological differentiation | 7 |
24 | Peng et al. (2017) | China | 2000–2012 | Retrospective | 150 (97/53) | 58 (20–82) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Chemo, Surgery | 2.82 | 36 (2–126) | OS | Multivariable | Age, Lymph node metastases, Timing of metastasis, No. of metastatic tumors, Largest tumor size, Tumor distribution | 8 |
14 | Yang et al. (2017) | China | 2009–2015 | Retrospective | 95 (58/37) | 56 (27–86) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Chemo, Molecular targeted | 4 | 40 (12–72) | PFS, OS | Univariate | – | 8 |
6 | Lin et al. (2014) | China | 2004–2012 | Retrospective | 370 (213/157) | 63.6 (36–72) | Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (IIIB, IV) | Chemo | 4.56 | NR | PFS, OS | Multivariable | Histology | 6 |
25 | Neal et al. (2015) | UK | 2006–2010 | Retrospective | 302 (192/110) | 64.8 (26–85) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Surgery | 2.35 | 29.7 (4–96) | OS | Univariate | – | 8 |
26 | Wu et al. (2016) | China | 2009–2013 | Retrospective | 221 | NR | Rectal cancer (III) | Surgery | 5.13 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Age, CEA, Tumor location, Differentiation, Vascular invasion, Perineural invasion | 7 |
7 | Lin et al. (2016) | China | 2005–2013 | Retrospective | 488 (266/222) | 54 (37–72) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Chemo | 3.11 | 23.5 (4.3–32.8) | PFS, OS | Multivariable | Gender, ECOG performance status, No. of metastatic sites, Tumor differentiation | 8 |
27 | Gu et al. (2016) | China | 2006–2013 | Retrospective | 161 (128/33) | 56 (17–83) | Renal cell carcinoma (IV) | Surgery | 3.23 | NR | OS | Multivariable | T stage, Fuhrman grade, Histology, Tumor necrosis, Targeted therapy, Hemoglobin c | 6 |
8 | Xiong et al. (2017) | China | 2012–2015 | Retrospective | 78 (36/42) | 59 (28–82) | Lung adenocarcinoma (IIIB, IV) | Chemo | 4.3 | 15.3 (1.7–37.6) | PFS, OS | Multivariable | Gender, Smoking status, Clinical response, No. of metastasis organs | 8 |
49 | Yu et al. (2017) | China | 2010–2013 | Retrospective | 139 (83/56) | NR | Pancreatic cancer (III, IV) | Chemo | 3.19 | 78 | OS | Multivariable | Stage, CA19-9, LDH | 8 |
28 | Chang et al. (2017) | China | 2010–2014 | Retrospective | 490 (238/252) | 63.8 | Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (IV) | Molecular targeted, Chemo | 3.1 | NR | OS | Multivariable | BMI, Sex, Diabetes mellitus, PS, EGFR mutation, Tumor type, De novo liver metastases | 7 |
50 | Liu et al. (2017) | China | 2012–2013 | Retrospective | 162 (127/35) | 63 (38–70) | Esophageal cancer (II, III) | Chemo, Radio | 4.02 | 23.3 (8–43.7) | PFS, OS | Multivariable | cT status, Tumor stage, Tumor response | 8 |
29 | Stotz et al. (2014) | Austria | 1996–2011 | Retrospective | 372 (217/155) | 64 (27–95) | Colon cancer (II, III) | Surgery | 2.83 | 68 (1–190) | OS | Multivariable | Tumor invasion depth, Lymph node involvement, Tumor stage | 8 |
10 | Neofytou et al. (2015) | UK | 2005–2012 | Retrospective | 140 (88/52) | NR | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Surgery, Chemo | 3 | 33 (1–103) | OS | Multivariable | Distribution of lesions, Lymph node-positive primary tumor, Adjuvant chemotherapy | 8 |
30 | Kozak et al. (2017) | USA | 2005–2009 | Retrospective | 53 | NR | Colorectal Cancer (III) | Surgery | 2.6 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Age, Overall Stage, Total lymph nodes | 7 |
31 | Shibutani et al. (2018) | Japan | 2008–2016 | Retrospective | 160 (86/74) | 65 (18–89) | Colorectal cancer (IV) | Chemo, Molecular targeted | 2.96 | 21.8 (1.2–94.0) | OS | Multivariable | Sex, PS, Location of primary tumor, RAS status | 7 |
9 | Marin Hernández et al. (2018) | Spain | 2003–2016 | Retrospective | 150 | 49.8 (28–77) | Breast cancer (II, III) | Chemo | 5.46 | 24 (1–144) | OS | Multivariable | Pretreatment size, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, Neutrophils | 7 |
32 | Xue et al. (2017) | China | 2009–2015 | Retrospective | 153 (102/51) | 60 (34–86) | Pancreatic cancer (III, IV) | Chemo | 2.8 | 8.8 (0.5–75.5) | OS | Multivariable | ECOG PS, TNM stage, CA 19-9 | 7 |
33 | Zhou et al. (2014) | China | 2006–2008 | Retrospective | 426 (304/122) | NR | Gastric cancer (II, III) | Surgery, Chemo | 4.32 | 39.58 (2.63–85.63) | OS | Multivariable | Size, Vascular/nerve infiltration, Resection margin, TNM stage, Adjuvant chemotherapy | 8 |
33 | Chan et al. (2017) | Australia | 1998–2012 | Retrospective | 740 (370/370) | NR | Colorectal Cancer (III) | Surgery, Chemo, Radio | 2.38 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Age, T Stage, N stage, Grade, MMR-BRAF status | 7 |
35 | Oh et al. (2017) | Korea | 200–2011 | Retrospective | 261 (143/118) | 65.0 (31–86) | Colorectal cancer (II) | Surgery | 3.7 | 78.0 (3–119) | OS | Multivariable | Age, Lymphatic invasion, Venous invasion, Perineural invasion, Preoperative CEA, Adjuvant chemotherapy | 8 |
37 | Kano et al. (2017) | Japan | 2003–2012 | Retrospective | 222 | NR | Head and neck cancer (III, IV) | Radio, Chemo | 3.22 | NR | OS | Multivariable | Age, Sex, Primary location, Chemotherapy | 7 |
36 | Cong et al. (2016) | China | 2007–2011 | Retrospective | 188 (147/41) | 77 (75–88) | Gastric cancer (II, III) | Surgery | 4.34 | 21.8 (1.3–92.9) | OS | Multivariable | Gender, CEA, CA19-9, Tumor site, Tumor size, TNM, Lymph node metastasis | 7 |
38 | Li et al. (2016) | China | 2012–2014 | Retrospective | 68 | NR | Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (III) | Surgery | 2.86 | NR | OS | Multivariable | ASA score, T stage, Lymph node status, TNM stage, Pathological differentiation | 7 |
11 | Qi et al. (2016) | China | 2009–2010 | Retrospective | 177 (108/69) | 58.8 | Chemo | 3 |  | NR | OS | Multivariable | Cancer stage, CA 19-9 | 7 |