Cox regression analysis revealed that distant metastasis [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.809, P = 0.002], tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (HR = 2.519, P = 0.015), circ-HuR levels (HR = 0.616, P = 0.012), and CNBP expression (HR = 2.643, P = 0.003) were prognostic factors for gastric cancer patients (Additional file 1: Table S1). This evidence concerns the gene ELAVL1 and neoplasm.