title: Pancreatectomy combined with superior mesenteric vein-portal vein resection for pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatectomy combined with superior mesenteric vein-portal vein resection (VR) for pancreatic cancer remains a matter of debate. The present study is a meta-analysis of the available evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles published until end of March 2011, comparing the results of pancreatic resections with VR versus without VR, were searched. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean differences (WMD; with 95% Confidence Intervals [95% CI]) were calculated using either the fixed effects model or the random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen nonrandomized studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 2,247 patients. There was no difference in perioperative morbidity (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.74-1.21; P = 0.67), mortality (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.73-1.96; P = 0.48), or 5-year overall survival (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.32-1.02; P = 0.06) between patients with VR and those without VR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pancreatectomy combined with VR resection for pancreatic cancer is justified because it can result in good perioperative outcome and long-term survival comparable to that obtained with standard resection. Owing to the selection bias and low level of clinical evidence available so far, the results should be interpreted with caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreato-Vascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, 55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yujian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*