Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34604056›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2021

Recurrence Patterns After IMRT/VMAT in Head and Neck Cancer.

Heleen Bollen, Julie van der Veen, Annouschka Laenen, Sandra Nuyts

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 13% 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Comparison of White Light With Narrow Band Imaging Using Flexible Laryngoscopy for the Detection of Local Recurrences After (Chemo)Radiation for Pharyngeal or Laryngeal Cancer: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery · 2025
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  7. Characterizing the interplay of treatment parameters and complexity and their impact on performance on an IROC IMRT phantom using machine learning.Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology · 2023
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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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Heleen BollenLaboratory of Experimental Radiotherapy, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Julie van der VeenLaboratory of Experimental Radiotherapy, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Annouschka LaenenLeuven Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Sandra NuytsLaboratory of Experimental Radiotherapy, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
KU Leuven · BEStatistics Belgium · BE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIntensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), two advanced modes of high-precision radiotherapy (RT), have become standard of care in the treatment of head and neck cancer. The development in RT techniques has markedly increased the complexity of target volume definition and accurate treatment delivery. The aim of this study was to indirectly investigate the quality of current TV delineation and RT delivery by analyzing the patterns of treatment failure for head and neck cancer patients in our high-volume RT center.

methodsBetween 2004 and 2014, 385 patients with pharyngeal, laryngeal, and oral cavity tumors were curatively treated with primary RT (IMRT/VMAT). We retrospectively investigated locoregional recurrences (LRR), distant metastases (DM), and overall survival (OS).

resultsMedian follow-up was 6.4 years (IQR 4.7-8.3 years) during which time 122 patients (31.7%) developed LRR (22.1%) and DM (17.7%). The estimated 2- and 5-year locoregional control was 78.2% (95% CI 73.3, 82.3) and 74.2% (95% CI 69.0, 78.8). One patient developed a local recurrence outside the high-dose volume and five patients developed a regional recurrence outside the high-dose volume. Four patients (1.0%) suffered a recurrence in the electively irradiated neck and two patients had a recurrence outside the electively irradiated neck. No marginal failures were observed. The estimated 2- and 5-year DM-free survival rates were 83.3% (95% CI 78.9, 86.9) and 80.0% (95% CI 75.2, 84.0). The estimated 2- and 5-year OS rates were 73.6% (95% CI 68.9, 77.8) and 52. 6% (95% CI 47.3, 57.6). Median OS was 5.5 years (95% CI 4.5, 6.7).

conclusionTarget volume definition and treatment delivery were performed accurately, as only few recurrences occurred outside the high-dose regions and no marginal failures were observed. Research on dose intensification and identification of high-risk subvolumes might decrease the risk of locoregional relapses. The results of this study may serve as reference data for comparison with future studies, such as dose escalation or proton therapy trials.

Indexed as

delineationhead and neck cancerintensity-modulated radiotherapyproton therapyradiotherapyrecurrencetumor resistancevolumetric modulated arc therapy

Identifiers

PMID34604056
PMCPMC8483718
OpenAlexW3201422547

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.