Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35611396›Full record

Trial reportThoracic cancer2022

The quality of life in neoadjuvant versus adjuvant therapy of esophageal cancer treatment trial (QUINTETT): Randomized parallel clinical superiority trial.

Richard A Malthaner, Edward Yu, Michael Sanatani, Debra Lewis, Andrew Warner, A Rashid Dar, Brian P Yaremko, Joel Bierer, David A Palma, Dalilah Fortin and 8 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialEquivalence Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Thoracic cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 24% 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, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Assessing the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy on quality of life during treatment in esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Pooled it
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  3. Trial
  4. Trial
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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

18 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Richard A MalthanerDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3763-4838
Edward YuRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Michael SanataniMedical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Debra LewisDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Andrew WarnerRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
A Rashid DarRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Brian P YaremkoRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Joel BiererDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
David A PalmaRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Dalilah FortinDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Richard I InculetDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Eric FréchetteDepartment of Oncology, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Jacques RaphaelMedical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Stewart GaedeRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Sara KuruvillaMedical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Jawaid YounusMedical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Mark D VincentMedical Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
George B RodriguesRadiation Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Western University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWe compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients undergoing trimodality therapy for resectable stage I-III esophageal cancer.

methodsA total of 96 patients were randomized to standard neoadjuvant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (neoadjuvant) followed by surgical resection or adjuvant cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and epirubicin chemotherapy with concurrent extended volume radiotherapy (adjuvant) following surgical resection.

resultsThere was no significant difference in the functional assessment of cancer therapy-esophageal (FACT-E) total scores between arms at 1 year (p = 0.759) with 36% versus 41% (neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant), respectively, showing an increase of ≥15 points compared to pre-treatment (p = 0.638). The HRQOL was significantly inferior at 2 months in the neoadjuvant arm for FACT-E, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-OG25), and EuroQol 5-D-3 L in the dysphagia, reflux, pain, taste, and coughing domains (p < 0.05). Half of patients were able to complete the prescribed neoadjuvant arm chemotherapy without modification compared to only 14% in the adjuvant arm (p < 0.001). Chemotherapy related adverse events of grade ≥2 occurred significantly more frequently in the neoadjuvant arm (100% vs. 69%, p < 0.001). Surgery related adverse events of grade ≥2 were similar in both arms (72% vs. 86%, p = 0.107). There were no 30-day mortalities and 2% vs. 10% 90-day mortalities (p = 0.204). There were no significant differences in either overall survival (OS) (5-year: 35% vs. 32%, p = 0.409) or disease-free survival (DFS) (5-year: 31% vs. 30%, p = 0.710).

conclusionTrimodality therapy is challenging for patients with resectable esophageal cancer regardless of whether it is given before or after surgery. Newer and less toxic protocols are needed.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsNeoadjuvant TherapyAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsChemotherapy, AdjuvantCisplatinFluorouracilHumansQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeCisplatinFluorouraciladjuvantesophageal cancerneoadjuvantquality of liferandomizedtrimodality

Identifiers

PMID35611396
PMCPMC9250846
OpenAlexW4281478061

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.