MTA1 is inextricably associated with depth of invasion (OR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.05–3.37, P = 0.03), lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.77–3.06, P<0.001, Fig 5B), TNM stage (OR = 2.78, 95%CI: 1.63–4.74, P<0.001) and vascular invasion (OR = 2.22, 95%CI: 1.38–3.56, P<0.001) of GI cancers. This evidence concerns the gene MTA1 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.