Prognostic significance of tumor-associated macrophages density in gastric cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract 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. 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. The HR of OS of GC patients with high-density TAM is 1.56 (95% CI: 0.90~2.22, P