Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42210259›Full record

ReviewCancer cell international2026

Machine learning for postoperative complication prediction and early recurrence risk assessment across cancer types: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Wen Chen, Xinliang Liu, Zhenheng Wu, Haifen Tan, Fuqian Yu, Dongmei Wang, Hengyi Gao, Zhigang Chen

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancer cell international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Wen Chen *Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fuzhou First General Hospital Affiliated of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350009, China.
Xinliang Liu *Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, 213000, Jiangsu, China.
Zhenheng Wu *Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China.
Haifen Tan *Department of Oral Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, China.
Fuqian YuGastroenterology department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China.
Dongmei WangDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, No.68 Gehu Road, Wujin District, Changzhou, 213000, Jiangsu, China. fautywang@163.com.
Hengyi GaoDepartment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The People's Hospital of Longhua, No. 38 Jinglong Jianshe Road, Shenzhen, 518109, China.
Zhigang ChenDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, No.68 Gehu Road, Wujin District, Changzhou, 213000, Jiangsu, China. czg99888@163.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82273232
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlthough machine learning is often used in medical diagnosis, its effectiveness in cancer diagnosis remains uncertain.

objectiveTo explore the ability of machine learning to predict cancer postoperative complications and early recurrence.

methodsFrom the creation of the database until October 4, 2024, we conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The pooled sensitivity, specificity, Fagan plot analysis, and area under the curve (AUC) were used to assess the overall test performance of machine learning. In addition, meta-regression analysis was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity further. Furthermore, Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test was used to assess publication bias.

resultsUltimately, 31 publications were identified and incorporated into this meta-analysis. In the subgroup of postoperative complications, the combined sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of all studies were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.65-0.83), 0.78 (95% CI, 0.65-0.87), and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.86), respectively. Moreover, the combined sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of proposed studies (studies that proposed the best predictive model) were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.71-0.93), 0.76 (95% CI, 0.39-0.94), and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85-0.91), respectively. In the subgroup of early recurrence, the combined sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of all studies were 0.74 (95% CI, 0.68-0.80), 0.73 (95% CI, 0.67-0.77), and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76-0.83), respectively. Furthermore, the combined sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of proposed studies were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.70-0.85), 0.76 (95% CI, 0.70-0.82), and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.80-0.87), respectively. In addition, Deeks' Funnel Plot, p-value > 0.05, indicating no publication bias. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis showed that sample size and machine learning may be the main influencing factors.

conclusionMachine learning can accurately predict cancer postoperative complications and early recurrence. However, its accuracy is influenced by multiple factors, including the type of machine learning model, tumor type, sample size, year of publication, and country of publication. Therefore, more studies with larger sample sizes and more standardized methodology are needed to improve the reliability of its prediction.

Indexed as

AUCCancerEarly recurrenceMachine learningPostoperative complications

Identifiers

PMID42210259
PMCPMC13220599

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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 Socratic graph.