Table 2.

Meta-analysis of the associations of FHIT expression and FHIT gene hypermethylation with liver cancer pathogenesis

Clinical features	RR (95% CI)	P-value	Heterogeneity test		Studies (n)	Model	Publication bias
			I2 (%)	P-value			Begg’s test (P)	Egger’s test (P)
FHIT expression (adjacent vs cancer)	1.88 (1.58–2.25)	<0.05	79.80	0	11	Random effects analysis	0.09	0.06
FHIT expression (normal vs cancer)	2 (1.72–2.32)	<0.05	58.10	0.014	9	Random effects analysis	0.25	0.1
Overall liver cancer risk	1.93 (1.72–2.17)	<0.05	72.70	0	20	Random effects analysis	0.02	0.006
TNM stage (I + II vs III + IV)	2.13 (1.72–2.64)	<0.05	0	0.69	7	Fixed effects model	0.76	0.33
HBsAg	1.28 (0.88–1.86)	.0.05	0	0.85	5	Fixed effects model	0.46	0.66
Tumor size (≤5 cm vs >5 cm)	1.67 (1.36–2.05)	<0.05	47.1	0.08	7	Fixed effects model	0.76	0.42
Liver capsule	0.95 (0.41–2.22)	>0.05	78.4	0.003	4	Random effects analysis	0.73	0.61
Damage from liver cirrhosis	1.34 (1.06–1.69)	<0.05	0	0.37	3	Fixed effects model	0.3	0.56
Portal venous tumor emboli	0.71 (0.34–1.50)	>0.05	63.5	0.04	4	Random effects analysis	0.31	0.11
FHIT hypermethylation (normal vs cancer)	2.33 (1.85–2.93)	<0.05	0.000	0.422	3	Fixed effects model	0.602	0.25

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; FHIT, fragile histidine triad protein; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; RR, relative risk.