Tumor location and concurrent liver resection, impact survival in T2 gallbladder cancer: a meta-analysis of the literature.

Aim of doing this review was to give a uniform consensus on prognostic impact of tumor location (hepatic vs peritoneal), liver resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in gall bladder cancer and, to compare them with previous well-studied factors of survival. We systematically review PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane for relevant articles with no date restrictions, language was restricted to English. Those articles were included that had provided Hazard ratio (HR) of survival for T2 gall bladder cancer. We identified nine retrospective studies published between 2014 and 2020 with 2345 patients. Meta-analysis showed that T2b (hepatic) cancers had higher odds of mortality (HR 3.16 [2.11, 4.74], I2 = 0%). Liver resection was associated with significantly higher odds of 5-year overall survival only in T2b (2.20 [1.33, 3.63], I2 = 67%), adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with any significant decrease in mortality risk (0.98 [0.83-1.16]. I2 = 20%). Hepatic sided gall bladder tumors carry higher odds for mortality and recurrence. T2a tumors can be managed without hepatic resection. To risk stratify patients we also formulated a scoring system for mortality risk.