Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32849955›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of oncology2020

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Immunotherapy in Middle-Income Countries: A Single-Center Early Experience.

Imad Bou Akl, Juliett Berro, Arafat Tfayli, Ali Shamseddine, Deborah Mukherji, Sally Temraz, Jean El Cheikh, Ibrahim A Alameh, Hazem I Assi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in World journal of oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Lymphatic Complications in Patients Undergoing Melanoma Surgery in Peru.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026
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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.

Imad Bou AklDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Juliett BerroDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Arafat TfayliDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Ali ShamseddineDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Deborah MukherjiDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Sally TemrazDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Jean El CheikhDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Ibrahim A AlamehDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Hazem I AssiDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImmunotherapy agents offer novel treatment options in advanced cancers. However, their use is limited in developing countries lacking unifying guidelines and can be followed by a financial burden. In this study, we aimed to provide an overview regarding the use of immunotherapy and the overall response to treatment in patients with metastatic disease in relation to cost-effectiveness.

methodsThis was a retrospective study involving adult metastatic cancer patients, treated with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors at American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary cancer center in Lebanon. Study enrollment began on January 1, 2014 and ended on January 12, 2016. Baseline demographics, epidemiological and clinical data were collected from the patients' records.

resultsOur study consisted of 34 patients. Fifteen patients self-financed the treatment. The patients were prescribed immunotherapy without programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) testing as it was not part of the guidelines at the time. Twenty-two patients were treated with nivolumab and 12 patients with pembrolizumab. Thirteen patients showed partial response or stable disease, while 21 patients showed progression.

conclusionImprovement in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival has been undercut by the lack of availability of these drugs and their cost. Considering that a large percentage of patients do not respond to immunotherapy, there is a need to use guidelines such as a preset PD-L1 level that ensure cost-effectiveness and prevent resource waste.

Indexed as

Cost-effectiveImmuno-oncologyImmunotherapyMiddle-income countriesPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID32849955
PMCPMC7430853

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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.