The results did not present apparent publication bias among the studies regarding OS (P = 0.743), DFS (P = 1.000), age (P = 0.308), sex (P = 0.168), smoking history (P = 0.308), tumor stage (P = 0.917), nodal stage (P = 0.893), distant metastasis (P = 0.230), brain metastasis (P = 0.296), bone metastasis (P = 1.000), TNM stage (P = 0.373), histology (P = 0.373), differentiation (P = 0.837), EGFR expression (P = 1.000), lymphatic vessel invasion (P = 0.296) or local recurrence (P = 1.000). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is neoplasm.