Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31626102›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2019

A meta-analysis of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without cetuximab for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Bi-Cheng Wang, Liang-Liang Shi, Chen Fu, Hong-Xia Zhou, Zhan-Jie Zhang, Qian Ding, Gang Peng

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. SEOM-TTCC clinical guideline for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (update 2025).Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Guideline
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. SEOM-TTCC clinical guideline in nasopharynx cancer (2021).Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2022
    Guideline
  5. Article
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

7 authors.

Bi-Cheng WangCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Liang-Liang ShiCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Chen FuDepartment of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, China.
Hong-Xia ZhouCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Zhan-Jie ZhangCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Qian DingCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.
Gang PengCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIt is unclear whether cetuximab (CTX) plus cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) delivers equivalent or improved results over standard CCRT in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

methodsThe strategy involved searching the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS), and disease-free survival (DFS), and pooled risk ratios for adverse events were meta-analyzed.

resultsIn all, 1744 patients in 5 clinical trials were included in the analysis. Compared with CCRT group, CTX plus CCRT significantly improved DFS (HR = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.86, P = .006) and distant metastasis failure-free survival (HR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38-0.76, P = .0004), rather than OS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.44-1.09, P = .12) and local-regional failure-free survival (HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.54-1.22, P = .33).

conclusionsCTX plus CCRT might achieve higher DFS and DMFS with no significant difference in OS and LRFS. CTX plus CCRT group was associated with more grade 3-4 skin rash, mucositis and dermatitis. Large randomized trials were urgent to fully explore the usefulness of this treatment in the locally advanced NPC patients.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsCetuximabChemoradiotherapyCisplatinHumansNasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsProgression-Free SurvivalTreatment OutcomeAntineoplastic AgentsCetuximabCisplatin

Identifiers

PMID31626102
PMCPMC6824634

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.