Effect of lymph node resection on prognosis of resectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of lymph node dissection in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The literature from January 2009 to December 2021 was searched to determine the comparative study of lymph node dissection and non-lymph node dissection in patients with ICC. Seventeen studies were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OR = 0.80, p = 0.10; OR = 0.93, p = 0.71; OR = 0.80, p = 0.21) and 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (OR = 0.89, p = 0.73; OR = 0.92, p = 0.81; OR = 0.85, p = 0.62). Lymph node dissection does not seem to have a positive effect on the overall survival and disease-free survival.