Aim: The prognostic role of p53 protein expression in osteosarcoma has been reported, but the results remain conflicting. Materials & methods: The relevant literature databases were searched to get eligible articles published in English. The overall ORs or HRs and their corresponding 95% CIs were calculated. Results: The results indicated that p53 protein expression was not linked to age factor, gender, tumor grade, cancer metastasis and response to chemotherapy. p53 expression was significantly lower in osteogenic osteosarcoma than in nonosteogenic osteosarcoma (OR = 0.40; p = 0.006). p53 expression was associated with a poor prognosis of patients in overall survival (univariate analysis: HR: 2.49; p < 0.001 and multivariate analysis: HR: 2.92; p < 0.001). Conclusion: p53 expression was correlated with pathological type and may become a useful prognostic biomarker in overall survival in osteosarcoma.