Figure 1). Subgroup analysis for various types of cancer was conducted. The results showed that the overexpression of CTGF was associated with increased risk for lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.54-4.68) and advanced TNM stage (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.19-3.19) in GC. In CRC, elevated CTGF expression was associated with decreased risk for lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27-0.73) and lower TNM stage (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27-0.76) (Figure 3). CTGF expression was not associated with the stage of pathological differentiation in any type of cancer investigated (Suppl. Figure 2). This evidence concerns the gene CCN2 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.