title: Laparoscopic versus open resection for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In past decades, laparoscopic surgery has been introduced for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Recently, additional studies comparing laparoscopic versus open surgery for gastric GISTs have been published, and an updated meta-analysis of this subject is necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Comparative studies of laparoscopic and open surgery for gastric GISTs published before June 2014 were identified from databases. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to perform quality assessment and original data were extracted. The statistical software STATA (version 12.0) was used for the meta-analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Finally, 22 studies, including a total of 1,166 cases, meet the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The operation time was similar between laparoscopic and open surgery. Compared to open surgery, laparoscopic resection was associated withless blood loss (WMD = -58.91 ml; 95% CI, -84.60 to -33.22 ml; P <0.01); earlier time to flatus (WMD = -1.31 d; 95% CI, -1.56 to -1.06, P <0.01) and oral diet (WMD = -1.75 d; 95% CI, -2.12 to -1.39; P <0.01); shorter hospital stay (WMD = -3.68 d; 95% CI, -4.47 to -2.88; P <0.01); and decreased overall complications (relative risk = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.89; P = 0.01). For long-term outcomes, there were no significant differences between two surgical procedures on recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic surgery for gastric GISTs is acceptable for selective patients with better short-term outcomes compared with open surgery. The long-term survival situation of patients mainly depends on the nature of tumor itself, and laparoscopic surgery was not associated with worse oncological outcomes.
authors.forename: Qi-Long
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jia-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 East Qingchun Road, 310016 Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. mouyiping2002@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Mou
mesh_terms: D005743:Gastrectomy; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome