Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33367119›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational radiation oncology2021

Longitudinal characterization of the tumoral microbiome during radiotherapy in HPV-associated oropharynx cancer.

Houda Bahig, Clifton D Fuller, Aparna Mitra, Kyoko Yoshida-Court, Travis Solley, Sweet Ping Ng, Ibrahim Abu-Gheida, Baher Elgohari, Andrea Delgado, David I Rosenthal and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and translational radiation oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 19% 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

15 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Observational
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. The role of the microbiome in head and neck squamous cell cancers.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
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Frontiers in microbiology · 2021
    Article
  15. 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

15 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Houda BahigRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Clifton D FullerRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Aparna MitraRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Kyoko Yoshida-CourtRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Travis SolleyRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Sweet Ping NgRadiation Oncology Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
Ibrahim Abu-GheidaRadiation Oncology Department, Burjeel Medical City, Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Baher ElgohariRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Andrea DelgadoRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
David I RosenthalRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Adam S GardenRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Steven J FrankRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Jay P ReddyRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Lauren ColbertRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Ann KloppRadiation Oncology Department, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · USCentre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal · CAMansoura University · EGPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre · AU

Funding

Fellow and Resident Radiation Oncology iNtensive Training in Imaging and Informatics to Empower Research Careers (FRONTI2ER)R25EB025787 · NIBIB · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI DAS, PRAJNAN, FULLER, CLIFTON DAVID · 2018 to 2022
$535k
NIBIB NIH HHS R25 EB025787
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo describe the baseline and serial tumor microbiome in HPV-associated oropharynx cancer (OPC) over the course of radiotherapy (RT).

methodsPatients with newly diagnosed HPV-associated OPC treated with definitive radiotherapy +/- concurrent chemotherapy were enrolled in this prospective study. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, dynamic changes in the tumor site microbiome during RT were investigated. Surface tumor samples were obtained before RT and at week 1, 3 and 5 of RT. Radiological primary tumor response at mid-treatment was categorized as complete (CR) or partial (PR).

resultsTen patients were enrolled, but 9 patients were included in the final analysis. Mean age was 62 years (range: 51-71). As per AJCC 8th Ed, 56%, 22% and 22% of patients had stage I, II and III, respectively. At 4-weeks, 6 patients had CR and 3 patients had PR; at follow-up imaging post treatment, all patients had CR. The baseline diversity of the tumoral versus buccal microbiome was not statistically different. For the entire cohort, alpha diversity was significantly decreased over the course of treatment (p = 0.04). There was a significant alteration in the bacterial community within the first week of radiation. Baseline tumor alpha diversity of patients with CR was significantly higher than those with PR (p = 0.03). While patients with CR had significant reduction in diversity over the course of radiation (p = 0.01), the diversity remained unchanged in patients with PR. Patients with history of smoking had significantly increased abundance of

conclusionsThe tumor microbiome of HPV-associated OPC exhibits reduced alpha diversity and altered taxa abundance over the course of radiotherapy. The baseline bacterial profiles of smokers vs. non-smokers were inherently different. Baseline tumor alpha diversity of patients with CR was higher than patients with PR, suggesting that the microbiome deserves further investigation as a biomarker of radiation response.

Indexed as

Alpha diversityBiomarkerHuman papilloma virusOropharynx cancerRadiotherapyResponse predictionTumor microbiome

Identifiers

PMID33367119
PMCPMC7749292
OpenAlexW3101787203

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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.