Unlike sex, histologic grade, and T grade, the pooled results suggested that a high density of total CD68+ TAMs was significantly associated lymphatic vessel invasion (OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.43–4.54, P=0.001; I2 = 0), vascular invasion (OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.94–5.47, P<0.00001; I2 = 29%), and lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.05–3.28, P=0.03; I2 = 20%). This evidence concerns the gene CD68 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.