Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28697786›Full record

ArticleRadiation oncology (London, England)2017

Spinal bone metastases in colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis of stability, prognostic factors and survival after palliative radiotherapy.

Tilman Bostel, Robert Förster, Ingmar Schlampp, Tania Sprave, Thomas Bruckner, Nils Henrik Nicolay, Stefan Ezechiel Welte, Jürgen Debus, Harald Rief

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Radiation oncology (London, England), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 18% 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

12 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

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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 1 institution in 1 country.

Tilman BostelDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Robert FörsterDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Ingmar SchlamppDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Tania SpraveDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Thomas BrucknerDepartment of Medical Biometry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Nils Henrik NicolayDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Stefan Ezechiel WelteDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jürgen DebusDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Harald RiefDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. harald.rief@med.uni-heidelberg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-973X
Heidelberg University · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis retrospective analysis aimed to analyse the stability of spinal bone metastases in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients following radiotherapy (RT) by use of a validated score and to assess prognostic factors for stability and survival.

methodsNinety-four patients with osteolytic spinal bone metastases from CRC were treated at the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University Hospital Heidelberg between 2000 and 2014. The stability of each affected vertebral body was assessed according to the validated Taneichi bone stability score on the basis of the treatment planning CT scan prior to RT and also based on the follow-up CT examinations at 3 and 6 months after RT. Additionally, bone survival rates (time between first day of RT and death from any cause) as well as prognostic factors for bone survival were evaluated for all study patients.

resultsBefore RT, 59 patients (63%) were rated unstable according to the Taneichi score. Pathological fractures within the irradiated region were diagnosed in 43 patients (46%) prior to RT. New fractures or progression of previously collapsed vertebrae were diagnosed in 4 patients (4%) after irradiation. Significant re-calcification and stabilization of former unstable bone metastases was only observed in 3/59 patients (3%) and 5/59 patients (9%). The median bone survival was 4.2 months (range 0.5-67.3 months) and 6 months after RT 61% of the patients were dead. Karnofsky performance score (KPS) (< 70% vs. ≥ 70%), chemotherapy and bisphosphonate therapy were predictive prognostic factors for bone survival.

conclusionsOur study population is characterized by poor bone survival and low re-calcification rates of unstable spinal bone lesions 3 and 6 months after RT. To avoid unnecessary hospitalisation and improve remaining QoL, short fractionated treatment schedules of RT may be prefered in this highly palliative situation, particularly for patients with a KPS < 70%.

Indexed as

Palliative CareAdultAgedAged, 80 and overColorectal NeoplasmsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRadiotherapy DosageRetrospective StudiesSpinal NeoplasmsSurvival Rate

Identifiers

PMID28697786
PMCPMC5505142
OpenAlexW2734470312

What OpenQuestion holds

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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 OpenQuestion graph.