The result means that FSTL1 expression level can impact the prognosis in the advanced and lymph node metastasis GC patients, which is consistent with the increased expression of FSTL1 in III group and Nx group compared with I/II group and N0 group in Fig. 2c, d. Here, FSTL1 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.