Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32367454›Full record

ArticleStrahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al]2020

Radiotherapy of the oldest old-feasibility and institutional analysis.

Eva-Maria Kretschmer, Matea Pavic, Luisa Sabrina Stark, Caroline Hertler, Matthias Guckenberger

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al], 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Reappraising the TNM staging system for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: an age-related prognosis analysis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in elderly patients with head and neck cancer: a monoinstitutional, two-to-one pair-matching analysis.Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al] · 2022
    Article
  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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Eva-Maria KretschmerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistraße 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland. eva-maria.kretschmer@usz.ch.
Matea PavicDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistraße 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Luisa Sabrina StarkDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistraße 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Caroline HertlerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistraße 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Matthias GuckenbergerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistraße 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
University Hospital of Zurich · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeLittle is known about efficacy and toxicity of radiation therapy in the elderly, as the vast majority of prospective trials excluded patients aged over 70 years. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of radiation therapy in a group of so-called oldest old cancer patients (≥85 years). MATERIALS AND

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed data from patients aged ≥85 years, treated between 2010 and 2015 for any tumor histology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), performance status (ECOG), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and treatment tolerance were assessed.

resultsWe identified and included 100 patients with a mean age of 88 years (range: 85-102 years). Most patients received a curative-intent treatment (n = 64, 64%). About one third received palliative radiation therapy for symptomatic metastatic disease (n = 36, 36%). Curative treatment was well tolerated, with no high-grade acute toxicities (≥grade 4). Median OS was 52.6 and 13.1 months for the curative and palliative treated patient groups, respectively. 5‑year OS for all patients was 39.5% (95% CI: 23.6-54.5%). The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) had a predictive value for overall survival (CCI > 10, p = 0.0001) in the curative group.

conclusionThe number of older cancer patients will increase considerably in the next decades because of demographic changes. Our analysis supports the notion that radiation therapy for this patient group of oldest old cancer patients is feasible in general. Treatment decisions should not be based on chronological age but rather on comorbidities and functional status.

Indexed as

Age FactorsRadiotherapy, ConformalAged, 80 and overAntineoplastic AgentsCardiovascular DiseasesCombined Modality TherapyComorbidityDiabetes MellitusDisease-Free SurvivalFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateMaleNeoplasmsPalliative CareAntineoplastic AgentsDemographic changesElderlyOverall survivalRadiation toxicityRelapse-free survival

Identifiers

PMID32367454
OpenAlexW3021468172

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.