Table 1 Main characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis
Authors year | CSC markers | Country duration | Mean/median age (month) | Sample size (n) | Gender (M/F) | TNM stage | Cut-off value | Follow-up (month) | Outcome | Hazard ratio (HR) | NOS score# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wang 2011 [18] | CD44, CD133 | Singapore 2000–2004 | 64 | 116 | 76/36 | I–IV | CD44: 5 score (0–300) CD133: 50 score (0–300) | 110 | OS | E | 8 |
Wakamatsu 2012 [19] | CD44, CD133, ALDH1 | Japan NR | 65 | 190 | NR | I–IV |  > 10% | 83 | OS | CD44, CD133: R-Multi ALDH1: R-Uni | 6 |
Chen 2013 [20] | CD44, CD133 | China 2000–2005 | 55 (23 to 84) | 152 | 101/51 | I–IV | CD44: > 65% CD133: > 50% | 48.6 (1.0–76.7) | OS, DFS | OS: R-Multi DFS: E | 9 |
Cao 2014 [21] | CD44 | China 2005–2007 | 60.5 (33–88) | 203 | 140/63 | NR |  > 10% | 66 (7–108) | OS | E | 6 |
Cao 2014 [22] | CD44, CD24 | China 2000–2010 | 64 (32 to 87) | 290 | 221/69 | I–IV |  ≥ 30 (0–300) | 41(3–135) | OS | R-Multi | 9 |
Jian-Hui 2016 [23] | CD44, Gli-1, Shh | China 2006 | 60 | 101 | 62/39 | I–III |  ≥ 4 score (0–12) | 90 | OS, DFS | CD44, Shh: R-Uni Gli: R-Multi | 8 |
Zhang 2016 [24] | CD44, CD133, Sox-2, Oct-4, Gli-1 | China 2005–2011 | NR | 101 | NR | I–IV |  > 10% | 80 | OS | E | 6 |
Kodama 2017 [25] | CD44, CD44v6, CD44v9 | Japan 2007–2009 | 70 (38–91) | 123 | 83/40 | I–IV |  > 5% | 68 (1–97) | DSS | R-Uni | 7 |
Senel 2017 [26] | CD44, ALDH1 | Turkey 2011–2015 | NR | 80 | 48/32 | I–III |  > 1 score (0–3) | 60 | DFS | E | 7 |
Sun 2017 [27] | CD44 | China 2004–2012 | 60 | 200 | 135/65 | I–IV |  > 3 score (0–6) | 110 | OS | E | 8 |
Tongtawee 2017 [28] | CD44 | Thailand 2011–2015 | 61.38 ± 12.39 | 162 | 117/45 | I–IV |  > 0 score (0–3) | 60 | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Ryu 2018 [29] | CD44 | Korea 1998–2009 | 60.7(27–84) | 143 | 91/52 | NR |  > 2 score (0–3) | 45 (0–155) | OS, DFS | R-Multi | 7 |
Ibrahim 2019 [30] | CD44 | Egypt 2012–2016 | 52.5(41–60) | 40 | 25/15 | I–III |  > 10% | 8–36 | OS, DFS | R-Uni | 9 |
Xie 2015 [31] | CD44v6 | China 2006–2008 | 60 | 208 | 154/54 | I–IV |  > 3 score | 80 | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Xu 2017 [32] | CD44v6 | China 2006–2013 | 60 | 103 | 69/34 | I–IV | NR | 120 | OS | E | 7 |
Yamaguchi 2002 [33] | CD44v6 | Japan 1984–1993 | NR | 201 | NR | I–IV | NR | 144 | OS | E | 6 |
Zheng 2017 [34] | CD44v6 | China 2010–2015 | 65 (43–80) | 49 | 39/10 | NR | NR | 33 (1–73) | DSS | R | 9 |
Hirata 2013 [35] | CD44v9 | Japan 2008–2010 | 67.5 (46–90) | 65 | 56/9 | NR | 3.58 ± 7.74% | 32 (1–36) | RFS | R-Multi | 7 |
Yamakawa 2017 [36] | CD44v9 | Japan 2011–2012 | 70 | 103 | 79/24 | I–IV |  ≥ 4 score | 61.0 | RFS | R-Multi | 8 |
Go 2016 [37] | CD44v9 | Korea 1999–2007 | 24–85 | 333 | 218/115 | I–III |  > 0 score (0–3) | 120 | OS | E | 8 |
Songun 2005 [38] | CD44v9 | Netherlands 1989–1993 | 64.7 (31–84) | 300 | 181 /119 | I–IV |  ≥ 5% | 120 | OS | E | 6 |
Ishigami 2010 [39] | CD133 | Japan 2001–2003 | 65 (40 to 85) | 97 | 69/28 | I–IV | containing at least one CD133 positive cell | 60 | OS | E | 8 |
Yu 2010 [40] | CD133 | China 2004–2009 | 62.0 (29–83) | 99 | 69/30 | I–IV | NR | 26.76 ± 17.02 | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Zhao 2010 [41] | CD133 | China NR | 58.1 (18–85) | 336 | 274/62 | I–IV |  ≥ 5 score (0–12) | 120 | OS | E | 7 |
Lee 2012 [42] | CD133 | Korea 2001–2005 | 61.5 (29–89) | 100 | 71/29 | II–III |  ≥ 6 score (0–12) | 46.9 (0–115) | OS, DFS | R-Multi | 8 |
Hashimoto 2014 [43] | CD133 | Japan 2004–2006 | 66 ± 11 | 189 | 133/56 | I–IV |  > 5% | 60 | OS | E | 7 |
Zhou 2015 [44] | CD133, LGR-5 | China 2004–2006 | 59.6 (23–88) | 261 | 172/89 | I–IV |  > 2 score (0–12) | 43.9 (0–110) | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Lu 2017 [45] | CD133 | China 2010–2011 | 58.1 ( 28–78) | 236 | 159/77 | I–III |  ≥ 3 score (0–12) | 48.6 (9–72) | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Attia 2019 [46] | CD133 | Egypt 2012–2015 | 54.44 (24–81) | 77 | 45/32 | I–IV |  > 3.5 score (0–6) | NR | RFS | R | 6 |
Liu 2019 [47] | CD133, ALDH1 | China 2012–2017 | 53 (32–76) | 91 | 69/22 | III |  ≥ 5 score (0–12) | 27 (1–60) | OS, DFS | OS: E DFS:R-multi | 7 |
Matsuoka 2012 [48] | Sox-2, Oct-4, Nanog | Japan NR | NR | 290 | NR | I–IV |  ≥ 5 score (0–5) | 120 | OS | R-Uni | 6 |
Li 2015 [49] | SOX-2, Oct-4, Nanog | China 2008–2009 | 55 (28–78) | 69 | 41/18 | I–III |  ≥ 5 score (0–5) | 35(6–60) | OS, DFS | E | 8 |
Yang 2017 [50] | Sox-2, ALDH1 | China 2010–2013 | 63 (29–82) | 122 | 100/22 | I–IV |  > 5% | 26 (1 to 75) | OS | Sox-2: R-Multi ALDH1: R-Uni | 8 |
Zhang 2010 [51] | Sox-2 | China 2004 | 57.8 ( 29–79) | 50 | 35/15 | I–IV |  > 10% | 1–50 | OS | E | 7 |
Camilo 2014 [52] | Sox-2 | Portugal 1988–2010 | 66.5 (24–89) | 201 | 124/77 | I–IV |  > 5% | 250 | OS | E | 8 |
Kong 2014 [53] | Oct-4 | China NR | 60 | 158 | 104/54 | I–IV |  > 0 score (0–3) | 60 | OS | R-Multi | 6 |
Jiang 2016 [54] | Oct-4 | China 2001–2010 | 62 (30–85) | 412 | 284/128 | I–IV |  ≥ 4 score | 60 | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Javanbakht 2017 [55] | Oct-4 | Iran 2010–2014 | 59.3 (37–85) | 40 | 16/24 | I–IV |  > 25% | 50 | OS | R-Multi | 6 |
El-Guindy 2019 [56] | Oct-4 | Egypt 2015–2016 | 18–70 | 45 | 28/17 | I–III |  ≥ 6 score (0–9) | 24 | OS, DFS | E | 6 |
Li 2014 [57] | ALDH1 | China 2005–2008 | 57.0 ( 22–82) | 216 | 140/76 | I–III |  ≥ 2 score (0–3) | 27 (4–82) | OS, RFS | R-Multi | 8 |
41Lu 2018 [58] | ALDH1 | China 2011–2012 | 60 | 232 | 148/84 | I–III |  > 2 score (0–12) | 48.7 (10–83) | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Simon 2012 [59] | LGR-5 | Germany 1997–2009 | 68 + _11.4 | 487 | 304/183 | I–IV | NR | 60.9 (14.3–129.9) | OS | E | 6 |
Bu 2013 [60] | LGR-5 | China 2002–2007 | 61 (22–87) | 257 | 185/72 | I–IV |  ≥ 3 score (0–6) | 60 | OS | R-Uni | 8 |
Xi 2014 [61] | LGR-5 | China 1999–2004 | 59.6 (24–86) | 318 | 254/59 | I–IV |  ≥ 2 score (0–6) | 120 | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Choi 2017 [62] | LGR-5 | Korea 2004–2006 | 60 | 456 | 312/144 | I–IV | NR | NR | CSS | R-Multi | 6 |
Liu 2019 [63] | LGR-5 | China 2009–2014 | 60 (33 to 85) | 100 | 68/32 | I–III |  > 6 score (0–12) | 60 | OS | E | 8 |
Liu 2008 [64] | Bmi-1 | China 1999–2002 | 60 | 146 | 92/54 | I–IV |  ≥ 10% | 48 | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Zhang 2010 [65] | Bmi-1 | China NR | 60 | 75 | 50/25 | I–IV |  ≥ 10% | 110 | OS | E | 7 |
Yang 2011 [66] | Bmi-1 | China 2004–2005 | 60 | 219 | 162/57 | I–IV |  ≥ 20% | 29.57 (1.90–78.10) | DSS | E | 7 |
Wu 2016 [67] | Bmi-1 | China NR | 60 | 352 | 236/116 | I–IV | NR | 120 | OS | E | 6 |
Lu 2012 [68] | Bmi-1 | China 1993–2006 | 55 | 309 | 98/211 | NR |  > 5% | 67.8 (2–200) | OS | E | 7 |
Lin 2012 [69] | Nanog | China NR | 50 | 105 | 71/34 | I–IV |  > 2 score (0–12) | 60 | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Chou 2007 [70] | CD24 | Taiwan 1995–1997 | 73 (40–99) | 103 | 75/28 | I–IV |  > 10% | 86.5 (1–120) | OS | R-Multi | 6 |
Fujikuni 2014 [71] | CD24 | Japan 2001–2008 | 65 | 119 | 73/46 | I–III |  > 1% | 60 | OS | E | 6 |
Darwish 2004 [72] | CD24 | Korea NR | 54.3 | 300 | 200/100 | I–IV | NR | 53 (1–72) | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Bektas 2010 [73] | CD24 | Turkey 2001–2009 | 61.5 (30–84) | 93 | 59/34 | I–IV |  > 10% | 36 (0–100) | OS | E | 8 |
Hu 2017 [74] | Gli-1, Shh | China NR | 60 | 90 | 53/37 | I–IV |  ≥ 6 score (0–12) | 80 | OS | E | 6 |
Shao 2017 [75] | Gli-1 | China 2008–2010 | 60 | 67 | 50/17 | I–IV |  ≥ 5 score (0–12) | 60 | OS | R-Multi | 9 |
Tang 2018 [76] | Gli-1 | China 2009–2010 | 60 | 90 | 68/22 | I–IV |  > 3 score (0–9) | 80 | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Ke 2020 [77] | Gli-1, Shh | China 2010–2013 | 60 | 128 | 128/50 | I–III |  > 3 score | 120 | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Wang 2014 [78] | Gli-1 | China 2005–2007 | 63 (46–83) | 121 | 92/29 | I–IV |  ≥ 10% | 30 ( 5–60) | OS | R-Multi | 7 |
Yao 2019 [79] | Gli-1 | China 2010–2012 | 60 | 57 | 40/17 | I–IV |  ≥ 5 score (0–12) | 60 | OS | E | 9 |
Ertao 2016 [80] | Shh | China 2004–2005 | 60 | 117 | 71/46 | I–IV |  > 10% | 47.6 (3–114) | OS | R-Multi | 8 |
Kim 2012 [81] | Shh | Korea 2004–2007 | NR | 319 | NR | I–IV |  > 3 score (0–4) | 80 | OS | E | 6 |
Yoo 2011 [82] | Shh | Korea 2002–2004 | 60 | 178 | 124/49 | I–IV | NR | 60 | OS | E | 7 |
Niu 2014 [83] | Shh | China 2008–2009 | 54.37 (22–75) | 113 | 73/40 | I–IV |  ≥ 2 score (0–3) | 43.6 (6–78) | OS | R-Multi | 7 |