Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26111068›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of radiology2015

SmartArc-based volumetric modulated arc therapy can improve the middle ear, vestibule and cochlea sparing for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a dosimetric comparison with step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

J Gao, T-L Qian, C-Z Tao, Y-H Zhang, Y Zhou, J Yang, J He, R Wang, P-J Zhou

Open access · greenAbstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of radiology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
2.9field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
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

9 citing papers in PubMed, 23 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Impact of Cochlear Radiotherapy Dose on Hearing Loss in Carcinoma Oropharynx Treated by Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Using Simultaneous Integrated Boost Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (SIB -VMAT).Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India · 2025
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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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

J GaoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
T-L QianDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
C-Z TaoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Y-H ZhangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Y ZhouDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
J YangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
J HeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
R WangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
P-J ZhouDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Anhui Medical University · CNAnhui Provincial Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRadiation-induced sensorineural hearing loss is a common complication after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) that significantly affects their quality of life. The goal of this study was to compare SmartArc-based volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT-S) with step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients with locoregionally advanced NPC with regard to the sparing effect on middle ear, vestibule and cochlea.

methods20 patients with non-metastatic Stage III or IV NPC were selected to have planning with VMAT-S and IMRT [using Philips Pinnacle Planning System (Philips, Fitchburg, WI) for Varian accelerator] for dosimetric comparison. Mean middle ears, vestibule and cochlea doses for the two planning techniques were compared using a paired t-test. Target coverage and dose homogeneity were evaluated by calculating conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) values.

resultsVMAT-S had significantly improved homogeneity and conformity compared with IMRT. Mean HI of planning target volume of gross tumour volume (PGTV) was better with VMAT-S (1.05 ± 0.02) than IMRT (1.09 ± 0.03) (p < 0.001). Mean CI of PGTV is also better with VMAT-S (0.59 ± 0.12) than IMRT (0.54 ± 0.12) (p < 0.001). Mean doses to the left cochleas were 43.8 ± 3.6 and 47.8 ± 4.0 (p < 0.001) for VMAT-S and IMRT plans, respectively. Mean doses to the right cochleas were 42.7 ± 4.7 and 47.6 ± 5.4 (p < 0.001) for VMAT-S and IMRT plans, respectively. VMAT-S also significantly reduced the mean doses to middle ears (p < 0.001 for both) and vestibule (p < 0.001 for both).

conclusionOur results indicate that VMAT-S provides better sparing of hearing apparatus in locoregionally advanced NPC. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: VMAT-S can improve the middle ear, vestibule and cochlea sparing in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC.

Indexed as

CarcinomaFemaleHumansMaleNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsOrgans at RiskRadiation InjuriesRadiotherapy DosageRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID26111068
PMCPMC4743565
OpenAlexW2218063275

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.