[Meta-analysis of endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection versus conventional open excision for breast cancer]

To compare the surgical outcome and the clinical value between endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection and conventional open excision in the treatment of breast cancer.

A computer-based online search of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Cochrane Library, Vip, Wanfang, CNKI and Chinese Biological Medicine Database was performed, and conference literatures were manually searched. Using the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines, all randomized controlled trials comparing endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection and conventional open excision were systematically reviewed. The Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.0 software was used for data analysis.

A total of 25 studies involving 3 028 patients were included. The results of Meta-analyses showed that there were no significant difference in the number of lymph nodes harvested and recurrence between endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection and conventional open excision (P>0.05). The operative time of endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection was longer than that of conventional open excision. However, it was superior to open excision in the rate of complication and intra-operative blood loss (P<0.05).

As a minimally invasive surgery technique to treat breast cancer, endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection might be a promising replacement for conventional axillary lymph node dissection.