Backgroundmetastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) represents a major global burden and the decision on whether to pursue maintenance with cetuximab (CET) remains controversial. Therefore, this meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of CET maintenance therapy.MethodsAfter literature search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus from inception to March 2026, two investigators selected eligible studies and extracted relevant data. The key outcomes were progression-free su