Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35903695›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2022

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Studies Comparing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy With Radiotherapy Alone in the Treatment of Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Yao-Can Xu, Kai-Hua Chen, Zhong-Guo Liang, Xiao-Dong Zhu

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. 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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Yao-Can XuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Kai-Hua ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Zhong-Guo LiangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Xiao-Dong ZhuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University · CNGuangxi Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: The role of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is still controversial. Our objective is to evaluate the value of concurrent chemotherapy in stage II NPC receiving radiotherapy (RT). Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for studies comparing CCRT versus RT alone in stage II NPC with survival outcomes and toxicities, including locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and grade 3-4 acute toxicities. The hazard ratios (HRs) of survival outcomes and risk ratios (RRs) of toxicities were extracted for meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis for stage N1 patients was performed to further explore whether these populations can earn benefits from concurrent chemotherapy. Results: Nine eligible studies with a total of 4,092 patients were included. CCRT was associated with a better OS (HR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.82), LRFS (HR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.50-0.78), and PFS (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.54-0.79), but with similar DMFS (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.46-1.45) compared with two-dimensional RT (2DRT) alone. However, CCRT showed no survival benefit in terms of OS (HR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.62-1.15), LRFS (HR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.54-1.34), DMFS (HR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.60-1.54), and PFS (HR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.66-1.37) compared with intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) alone. Subgroup analyses indicated that CCRT had similar OS (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.37-2.96), LRFS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.34-1.45), DMFS (HR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.53-2.00), and PFS (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.58-1.88) in the stage N1 populations. Meanwhile, compared to RT alone, CCRT significantly increased the incidence of grade 3-4 leukopenia (RR = 4.00, 95% CI 2.29-6.97), mucositis (RR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.16-1.77), and gastrointestinal reactions (RR = 8.76, 95% CI 2.63-29.12). No significant differences of grade 3-4 toxicity in thrombocytopenia (RR = 3.45, 95% CI 0.85-13.94) was found between the two groups. Conclusion: For unselected patients with stage II NPC, CCRT was superior to 2DRT alone with better LRFS, PFS, and OS, while adding concurrent chemotherapy to IMRT did not significantly improve survival but exacerbated acute toxicities. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022318253.

Indexed as

chemotherapymeta-analysisnasopharyngeal carcinomaradiotherapystage II

Identifiers

PMID35903695
PMCPMC9317745
OpenAlexW4285093205

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.