SynthesisBMC cancer2025
The role of indocyanine green in the intraoperative navigation of gastric cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Development of a postoperative risk scoring tool for elderly patients with early gastric cancer: an exploratory prognostic score derivation study.Journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveIndocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging is increasingly being recognized as promising technique for guiding surgical procedures in gastric cancer treatment. Nevertheless, current meta-analyses have not yet fully explored its impact on lymph node (LN) dissection or evaluated its effectiveness across open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical techniques. This study aimed to investigate the potential of ICG in enhancing LN retrieval and optimizing surgical outcomes.
methodsWe conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies published from January 2010 to December 2023 that compared ICG-guided versus non-ICG gastric cancer surgery. Eligible studies included both randomized and non-randomized designs reporting LN yield and operative outcomes. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes, and heterogeneity was assessed via the I² statistic. Subgroup analysis was performed by surgical modality, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger’s test.
resultsEleven studies (n = 2,100 patients) were included. ICG guidance significantly increased LN harvest compared to standard surgery (pooled MD = + 6 LNs, 95% CI: +4.4 to + 7.4; p < 0.001), with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 31%) and no significant publication bias. Subgroup analysis showed the greatest benefit with robotic gastrectomy, followed by laparoscopic approaches.
conclusionOur meta-analysis suggests that ICG fluorescence imaging is associated with improved LN dissection in gastric cancer surgery in terms of increased yield, and this was not associated with increased surgical risk in the studied outcomes. It appeared especially beneficial in minimally invasive procedures, particularly robotics, based on limited data, and offers a safe, effective adjunct for enhancing surgical precision across approaches.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.