Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32358736›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of clinical oncology2020

Survival outcomes following craniotomy for intracranial metastases from an unknown primary.

Melissa Gough, Molly Nielsen, Ian C Coulter, Damian Holliman

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of clinical oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 23% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
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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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Melissa GoughSchool of Medical Education, Newcastle University Medical School, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK. melissa_gough@icloud.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1765-4097
Molly NielsenSchool of Medical Education, Newcastle University Medical School, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Ian C CoulterDepartment of Neurosurgery, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Damian HollimanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Newcastle University · GBRoyal Victoria Infirmary · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionManagement of patients with intracranial metastases from an unknown primary tumor (CUP) varies compared to those with metastases of known primary tumor origin (CKP). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recognizes the current lack of research to support the management of CUP patients with brain metastases. The primary aim was to compare survival outcomes of CKP and CUP patients undergoing early resection of intracranial metastases to understand the efficacy of surgery for patients with CUP.

methodsA retrospective study was performed, wherein patients were identified using a pathology database. Data was collected from patient notes and trust information services. Surgically managed patients during a 10-year period aged over 18 years, with a histological diagnosis of intracranial metastasis, were included.

results298 patients were identified, including 243 (82.0%) CKP patients and 55 (18.0%) CUP patients. Median survival for CKP patients was 9 months (95%CI 7.475-10.525); and 6 months for CUP patients (95%CI 4.263-7.737, p = 0.113). Cox regression analyses suggest absence of other metastases (p = 0.016), age (p = 0.005), and performance status (p = 0.001) were positive prognostic factors for improved survival in cases of CUP. The eventual determination of the primary malignancy did not affect overall survival for CUP patients.

conclusionsThere was no significant difference in overall survival between the two groups. Surgical management of patients with CUP brain metastases is an appropriate treatment option. Current diagnostic pathways specifying a thorough search for the primary tumor pre-operatively may not improve patient outcomes.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAged, 80 and overBrain NeoplasmsCraniotomyFemaleHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalNeoplasms, Unknown PrimaryProportional Hazards ModelsRetrospective StudiesSurvival AnalysisYoung AdultIntracranialMetastasisPrimarySurvivalUnknown

Identifiers

PMID32358736
PMCPMC7392948
OpenAlexW3022181692

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.