ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) vs. multiple-port VATS in lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsThe PubMed, EMbase, the Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and Web of Science were searched to collect clinical studies about single- vs. multiple-port VATS for patients with NSCLC from inception to August 2018. The literatures were screened, data were extracted and the risk of bias of included studies was assessed independently by two reviewers. The meta-analysis with the collected data was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsEleven studies (4 randomized controlled trials, 1 prospective cohort study and 6 retrospective cohort studies), including 1 574 patients. Among them, 779 patients were in the single-port group, and 795 in the multiple-port group. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in the operation time (MD=3.60, 95%CI –8.59 to 15.79, P=0.56), the conversion rate (OR=1.06, 95%CI 0.54 to 2.06, P=0.87), the incidence of postoperative complications (OR=0.76, 95%CI 0.53 to 1.10, P=0.15), postoperative hospitalization time (MD=0.74, 95%CI –1.60 to 0.12, P=0.09), chest tube placement time (MD=0.63, 95%CI –1.28 to 0.02, P=0.06) or harvested lymph nodes (MD=–0.11, 95%CI –0.46 to 0.24, P=0.54). The intraoperative blood loss (MD=–17.12, 95%CI –31.16 to –3.08, P=0.02) was less in the single-port group than that in the multiple-port group. The visual analogue score (VAS) on postoperative first day (MD=–1.30, 95%CI –1.85 to –0.75, P<0.000 01) and on postoperative third day (MD=–0.82, 95%CI –1.00 to –0.65, P<0.000 01) were lower in the single-port group than those in the multiple-port group.ConclusionThe meta-analysis indicates that the efficacy of single-port VATS for NSCLC is equivalent to multiple-port VATS. However the intraoperative blood loss, the VAS scores on postoperative first and third days in the single-port group are better.