GLI1 and cancer: With respect to subgroups by different TNM stages, our quantitative results suggested that Gli1 abundance in cancer tissues closely correlated to unfavorable 5-year overall survival in all stratified groups, including advanced stages (n = 4, OR: 2.95, 95% CI: [1.44, 6.06], P = 0.003, I2 = 0%), pre-terminal stages (n = 2, OR: 5.85, 95% CI: [2.61, 13.11], P < 0.0001, I2 = 0%) and unselected stages (n = 15, OR: 2.37, 95% CI: [1.46, 3.85], P = 0.0005, I2 = 66%) (Supplementary Figure S9).