After adjustment with the trim-and-fill method (Figure 4B), the pooled association between S100A4 expression and OS in patients with CRC was also significant (fixed model: HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.45–2.05, P <0.00001; random model: HR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.39–2.17, P <0.0001), and with no significant heterogeneity (P = 0.155), all of which indicate that the results of these meta-analyses were relatively stable and that it is unlikely that publication bias may have affected the results. Here, S100A4 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.