Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34596344›Full record

ArticleThoracic cancer2021

Clinicopathological and prognostic implications of ALK rearrangement in patients with completely surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma.

Huan Zhang, Guangyao Shan, Benjie Cai, Guoshu Bi, Zhencong Chen, Jiaqi Liang, Valeria Besskaya, Yuansheng Zheng, Weigang Guo, Lin Wang and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Thoracic cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 30% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. SHP-2 Expression Is a Positive Prognostic Biomarker in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma: Association with KRAS Mutation and Prolonged Survival.Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. 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

12 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Huan Zhang *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Guangyao Shan *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Benjie Cai *Department of Thoracic Surgery and Urology, Shigatse People's Hospital, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
Guoshu BiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Zhencong ChenDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jiaqi LiangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Valeria BesskayaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Yuansheng ZhengDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Weigang GuoDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Lin WangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Songtao XuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Cheng ZhanDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8745-9276
Sun Yat-sen University · CNFo Guang Shan · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prognostic significance of ALK rearrangement is still contradictory. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of lung adenocarcinoma patients with ALK rearrangement, and analyze whether these patients benefited from targeted therapy.

methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 80 ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma patients who had undergone radical surgery and another 3031 ALK mutation-negative patients were retrospectively reviewed for inclusion in this case-controlled analyses. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Kaplan--Meier method. Univariate analysis (UVA) and multivariate analysis (MVA) by the Cox proportional hazards regression identified risk factors that predicted OS.

resultsCompared to ALK-negative patients, the ALK rearranged patients were younger, with more non-smokers, more females, a larger primary tumor was demonstrated, and were a higher pathological stage. In particular, the risk of lymph node metastasis was higher. For patients with surgically-resected tumors, the prognosis was better for ALK rearranged patients (HR = 0.503; 95% CI: 0.259-0.974, p = 0.041). In addition, for stage II-III patients, targeted therapy was an independent prognostic factor of better OS (HR = 0.159; 95% CI: 0.032-0.801, p = 0.026).

conclusionsALK rearranged lung adenocarcinoma patients who have undergone radical surgery have distinct clinical features. Patients with ALK rearrangement may have a favorable prognosis, and stage II-III patients may benefit from targeted treatment.

Indexed as

Adenocarcinoma of LungAdultAgedAnaplastic Lymphoma KinaseCase-Control StudiesFemaleGene RearrangementHumansLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisPulmonary Surgical ProceduresRetrospective StudiesSurvival RateALK protein, humanAnaplastic Lymphoma KinaseALK inhibitorsanaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)clinical featurelung adenocarcinomaprognosis

Identifiers

PMID34596344
PMCPMC8590901
OpenAlexW3202501073

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.