ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) for locally advanced gastric cancer by Meta-analysis. Methods: A computer-based online search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine disc (CBMdisc), National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Academic Journals Full-text Database (CJFD), Wanfang Data, China Conference Paper Database (CCPD) and China Cancer Database was performed. In accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected. After evaluating the quality of the included studies and extracting the data, a Meta-analysis was perfomed by using RevMan 5.0 software. Results: A total of 8 RCTs including 1 260 patients were included in this Meta-analysis. The resection rate [odds ratio (OR): 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76-1.43; P = 0.79], radical resection rate (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.57-1.83; P = 0.94) and perioperative mortality (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.56-2.00; P = 0.86) beween the neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgical operation group and surgical operation alone group were not statistically different. The difference in one-year survival rate was not statistically significant (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.79-1.41; P = 0.72) between the two groups, but the 2-year (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.03-1.72; P = 0.03) and 3-year (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23-2.09; P = 0.000 5) survival rates of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgical operation group were higher than those of the surgical operation alone group. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer may not increase the resection rate and the operation risk, and it can improve the long-term survival rate. Copyright © 2014 by TUMOR.