Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34533629›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2022

Diagnostic timelines and self-reported symptoms of patients with lung and gastrointestinal cancers undergoing radiation therapy. Retrospective case control study.

Demetra Yannitsos, Lisa Barbera, Abdulla Al-Rashdan, Petra Grendarova

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Experience of individuals with lung and gastrointestinal cancers undergoing radiation therapy: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Article
  2. 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

4 authors.

Demetra YannitsosDepartment of Oncology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada. Demetra.Yannitsos@albertahealthservices.ca.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5515-8388
Lisa BarberaDepartment of Oncology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
Abdulla Al-RashdanDepartment of Oncology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
Petra GrendarovaDepartment of Oncology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies have found that patients with lung cancer report worse patient experience compared to other tumour groups. Reasons that may negatively impact patient experience include delays in diagnosis as well as inadequate symptom management. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic timelines and symptom reports of patients with lung and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

methodsThis study included patients diagnosed with lung or GI cancers who attended a radiation oncology (RO) consultation and/or received radiation treatment between May and August 2019 at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Data collected included demographics, dates of diagnostic time points, and self-reported symptom scores across 3 time points. A descriptive analysis was completed, and the median number of days between time points was compared between tumour groups.

resultsPatients with lung cancer had longer diagnostic timelines compared to GI patients. The median number of days between the first investigative test and biopsy was 21 days longer for patients with lung cancer (p < 0.05). From RO consultation to the first treatment review appointment, 25% and 4% of lung and GI patients, respectively, reported worsening of symptoms. A greater proportion of lung patients reported worse symptom scores during treatment compared to GI patients. This varied by specific symptom.

conclusionsPatients with lung cancer experienced delays in receiving a diagnosis and worse symptom burden during radiation therapy in this study. We identified potential targets to improve patient experience.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal NeoplasmsAlbertaCase-Control StudiesHumansLungRetrospective StudiesSelf ReportOncologyPatient-centred carePatient experienceSymptom severity

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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.