Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35243018›Full record

ReviewClinical and translational radiation oncology2022

The impact of red blood cell transfusion on mortality and treatment efficacy in patients treated with radiation: A systematic review.

Max Deschner, Lakshman Vasanthamohan, Sondos Zayed, Alejandro Lazo-Langner, David Palma, David D'Souza, Syed Omar Gilani, R Gabriel Boldt, Ziad Solh

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Clinical and translational radiation oncology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. 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

9 authors.

Max DeschnerDepartment of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Lakshman VasanthamohanDepartment of Oncology, Lakeridge Health, Oshawa, ON, Canada.
Sondos ZayedDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Alejandro Lazo-LangnerDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
David PalmaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
David D'SouzaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Syed Omar GilaniDepartment of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
R Gabriel BoldtLondon Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada.
Ziad SolhDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPacked red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is frequently used in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) because retrospective data suggest that anemic patients may respond sub-optimally to RT. No high-quality evidence currently exists to guide transfusion practices and establish hemoglobin (Hb) transfusion thresholds for this patient population, and practice varies significantly across centers. This systematic review investigated whether maintaining higher Hb via transfusion in radiation oncology patients leads to improved outcomes.

methodsWe performed a literature search of studies comparing RBC transfusion thresholds in radiation oncology patients. Included studies assessed patients receiving RT for malignancy of any diagnosis or stage. Excluded studies did not evaluate Hb or transfusion as an intervention or outcome. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes included locoregional control, number of transfusions and adverse events.

resultsOne study met inclusion criteria. The study pooled results from two randomized controlled trials that stratified anemic patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to RBC transfusion versus no transfusion. The study found no significant differences in overall survival or locoregional control after five years, despite increased Hb levels in the transfused group. We conducted a narrative review by extracting data from 10 non-comparative studies involving transfusion in patients receiving RT. Results demonstrated no consistent conclusions regarding whether transfusions improve or worsen outcomes.

conclusionsThere is a lack of data on the effects of RBC transfusion on outcomes in patients undergoing RT. Well-designed prospective studies are needed in this area.

Indexed as

HemoglobinRadiation oncologyRadiation therapyRed blood cell transfusion

Identifiers

PMID35243018
PMCPMC8885402

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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.