The pooled SMD and SROC curves indicated overexpression of PLK1 in CESC samples (SMD = 1.61, 95% CI [0.40–2.82]) and the significant power of PLK1 expression in distinguishing cervical cancer samples from non-cancer samples (AUC = 0.95) (Fig. S5), which was similar for PLK1 expression in all types of cervical cancer (Fig. S6). Here, PLK1 is linked to cervical cancer.