title: [Necessity of splenectomy in radical resection of gastric cancer: a meta-analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the necessity of splenectomy in radical resection of gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve studies comparing outcomes after radical resection of gastric cancer with or without splenectomy were identified. Both fixed effect model and random effect model were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2628 patients in total. There were significant differences in complications between splenectomy group and spleen-preserving group(OR=1.91, 95% CI:1.28-2.87, P<0.05), while no significant difference in 5-year survival rate was noticed(HR=0.90, 95% CI:0.73-1.11, P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radical resection of gastric cancer combined with splenectomy is not associated with improved survival but increased postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang 550002, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Guo-qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Zhong-min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Lang-song
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Run-hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong-miao
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D013156:Splenectomy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*