LGALS3 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In conclusion, based on this systematic review and meta-analysis, both high galectin-1 and -3 and low galectin-4 and -9 expression in the tissues were significantly related to worse prognosis and positive vascular invasion in patients with HCC and serum galectin-3 level was associated with the risk of HCC, liver failure, liver cirrhosis, and chronic active hepatitis B (Figure 3).