Primary outcome: EFS
Night articles about SUVmax measuring on tumor tissue
were included in the study.11-19 The combined HR for
EFS of higher SUVmax was 1.938 (95% CI, 1.203-3.054, P
= 0.004) (Figure S1A) , which meant the patients with high
SUVmax measurement on tumor tissue had a higher risk of
recurrence or progression than those with low SUVmax.
However, significant heterogeneity existed between the articles
(I2 = 84%, P = 0.000). The publication bias was
significant based on the funnel graph (Figure S1B) and Egger’s
test (P = 0.015). The results obtained through sensitivity analysis was
relatively stable (Figure S1C) .
Four articles about primary tumor SUVmean were included
in the study.15-17, 20 Due to no significant
heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, P = 0.938), the fixed-effects
model was performed. The synthesized results showed that patients with
high SUVmean had a moderately higher risk of recurrence
or progression than those with low SUVmean, but without
statistically significant (HR = 1.182, 95% CI = 0.899-1.544, P = 0.230)(Figure S2A) . Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s test indicated no
publication bias (P = 0.345), and sensitivity analysis showed
that the analysis was relatively stable (Figure S2B-C) .
Three articles about MTV, measuring tumor tissue, were included in the
study.12, 15, 17 With no significant heterogeneity
(I2 = 20.9%, P = 0.282), the combined HR for EFS with
higher MTV was 2.06 (95% CI, 1.21-3.51, P = 0.007) (Figure
2A). It indicated thatpatients with high MTV had a higher risk of
recurrence or progression than those with low MTV. Because the data was
limited, publication bias was not performed.
Four articles about primary tumor TLG were included in the
study.15, 17, 20, 21 In the absence of significant
heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, P = 0.552), the fixed-effects
model was applied. The synthesized results showed that patients with
high TLG had a significantly higher risk of recurrence or progression
than those with low TLG (HR = 1.843, 95% CI = 1.100–3.086, P = 0.02)(Figure 2B) . Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s test indicated no
publication bias (P = 0.261), and sensitivity analysis showed analysis
was relatively stable (Figure 2C-D) .
Five articles about nodal SUVmax were included in the
study.13, 19, 21-23 For significant heterogeneity
(I2 = 69.4%, P = 0.011), the random-effects model was
applied. The synthesized results showed that patients with higher nodal
SUVmax had a significantly higher risk of recurrence or
progression than those with lower nodal SUVmax (HR =
3.478, 95% CI = 2.006-6.029, P <0.001) (Figure S3A) .
The publication bias was significant based on the funnel graph(Figure S3B) and Egger’s test (P = 0.04). Sensitivity analysis
proved that the results was relatively stable (Figure S3C) .