Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34659255›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in immunology2021

Tumor Mutational Burden Predicting the Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Yan Li, Yiqi Ma, Zijun Wu, Fanxin Zeng, Bin Song, Yanrong Zhang, Jinxing Li, Su Lui, Min Wu

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in immunology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 60 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
60citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

60 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 83 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Review
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  13. Integrative single-cell analysis revealsFrontiers in immunology · 2026
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Immune biomarkers for head and neck cancer.Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII · 2025
    Review
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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 at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Yan LiHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yiqi MaHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zijun WuHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Fanxin ZengDepartment of Clinic Medical Center, Dazhou Central Hospital, Dazhou, China.
Bin SongHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yanrong ZhangDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.
Jinxing LiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.
Su LuiHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Min WuHuaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Sichuan University · CNWest China Hospital of Sichuan University · CNStanford University · USMichigan State University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: For colorectal cancer patients, traditional biomarker deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI) is an accurate predictor of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Recent years, researchers considered tumor mutation burden (TMB) as another predictive biomarker which means the number of nonsynonymous mutations in cancer cells. Several studies have proven that TMB can evaluate the efficacy of ICI therapy in diverse types of cancer, especially in non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma. However, studies on the association between TMB and the response to ICI therapy in colorectal cancer alone are still lacking. In this study, we aim to verify the effect of TMB as a biomarker in predicting the efficacy of ICIs in colorectal cancer. Methods: We searched the PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE databases up to May 1, 2021 and screened studies for eligibility. Thirteen studies published from 2015 to 2021 with 5062 patients were included finally. We extracted and calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) of overall survival (OS) and objective response rates (ORRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Pooled HR and OR were evaluated to compare OS and ORR between TMB-high and TMB-low groups in colorectal cancer patients. Meanwhile, we assessed heterogeneity with the Results: The TMB-high patient group had a longer OS than the TMB-low patient group (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.92, p = 0.013) among colorectal cancer patients receiving ICIs. In addition, the TMB-high patient group was superior in terms of ORR (OR = 19.25, 95% CI: 10.06, 36.82, p < 0.001) compared to the TMB-low patient group. Conclusions: In conclusion, this meta-analysis revealed that TMB can be used as a potential predictive biomarker of colorectal cancer patients receiving ICI therapy. Nevertheless, this finding is not stable enough. Therefore, many more randomized controlled trials are needed to prove that TMB is reliable enough to be used clinically to predict the efficacy of immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. And the most relevant biomarker remains to be determined when TMB high overlaps with other biomarkers like MSI and TILs.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCohort StudiesColorectal NeoplasmsHumansImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsMutationRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeBiomarkers, TumorImmune Checkpoint Inhibitorscolorectal cancerimmune checkpoint inhibitorsobjective response rateoverall survivaltumor mutation burden

Identifiers

PMID34659255
PMCPMC8511407
OpenAlexW3202436266

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.