Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26289592›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology2016

The symptom burden of primary brain tumors: evidence for a core set of tumor- and treatment-related symptoms.

Terri S Armstrong, Elizabeth Vera-Bolanos, Alvina A Acquaye, Mark R Gilbert, Harshad Ladha, Tito Mendoza

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neuro-oncology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 105 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
105citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% 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

105 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 162 citations in OpenAlex.

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  13. From diagnosis to daily realities: longitudinal phenomenological exploration of symptom trajectories in glioma survivorship.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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45 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Terri S ArmstrongUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
Elizabeth Vera-BolanosUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
Alvina A AcquayeUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
Mark R GilbertUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
Harshad LadhaUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
Tito MendozaUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., H.L.); The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (T.S.A., E.V.-B., A.A.A., M.R.G., T.M.).
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · USThe University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA set of symptoms common across cancers has been proposed to enhance quality of care and clinical research in solid tumor patients. Using data from several clinical studies, this study evaluated these symptoms in primary brain tumor patients.

methodsSymptom report data using the MD Anderson Symptom Instrument -Brain Tumor (MDASI-BT) from 621 patients enrolled in 8 clinical studies was used. The prevalence and severity of symptoms were reported as they relate to tumor grade, treatment stage and KPS.

resultsThe sample was primarily white (82.5%) males (59%) with high-grade gliomas (75%). More than 50% of patients reported at least 10 concurrent symptoms, and 40% of patients reporting having at least 3 moderate-to-severe symptoms. Fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty remembering, disturbed sleep, and distress were the most severe symptoms reported by all tumor grades. Functional interference of symptoms with ability to work, perform activities, walk, and enjoy life was reported by more than 25% of patients.

conclusionsThese results support a core set of symptoms, common in other solid tumor patients, that may impact clinical care and assessment of treatment benefit. Although only 5 of the Center for Medical Technology Policy list of proposed core symptoms met criteria for inclusion in this sample, 5 of the other proposed core symptoms were also reported in similar frequency as reported in the other cancer populations. This primary brain tumor population differed from other solid tumor patients in that other symptoms, which could be disease related, were more prevalent and thus should also be collected for these patients.

Indexed as

Severity of Illness IndexSymptom AssessmentAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsBrain NeoplasmsDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMeta-Analysis as TopicMiddle AgedNeoplasm Gradingclinical outcomes assessmentpatient-reported outcomessymptoms

Identifiers

PMID26289592
PMCPMC4724180
OpenAlexW2127850846

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.