VTCN1 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes: B7-H4 serum expression was significantly higher in CRC patients with more lymph node metastases (≥4) (110.70 ± 16.52 ng/mL) compared with patients with fewer lymph node metastases (91.945 ± 19.43 ng/mL) (P = 0.0052), suggesting that B7-H4 was related to tumor progression and metastasis in CRC.