Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37736546›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2023

Distribution pattern of medial group retropharyngeal lymph nodes and its implication in optimizing clinical target volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Dan Zong, Ning Jiang, Cheng Kong, Jing Wen, Li-Jun Wang, Ye-Song Guo, Lan-Fang Zhang, Xia He, Zhen-Zhang Chen, Sheng-Fu Huang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

10 authors.

Dan ZongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Ning JiangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Cheng KongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Jing WenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Li-Jun WangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Ye-Song GuoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Lan-Fang ZhangDepartment of Medical Imaging, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Xia HeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Zhen-Zhang ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Sheng-Fu HuangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and to elucidate the clinical characteristics of medial group retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs) based on multi-modal imaging. Also, we intended to explore the feasibility of optimizing the CTV60 boundary based on the characteristics of medial group RLNs. Methods: A total of 549 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), DWI, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) to detect and evaluate clinical characteristics of medial group RLNs. Results: Fourteen of 549 patients had medial group RLNs with a transverse diameter of 2.0-19.0 mm, which distributed between the upper margin of 1st cervical vertebra (C1) and the upper one-third of C3. Lasso regression and Pearson chi-square test suggested that its occurrence was associated with stage N, bilateral cervical lymph node metastases, especially when the transverse diameter of cervical lymph nodes was > 3 cm. The sensitivity of DWI, T2 STIR, and contrast-enhanced CT was 100%, 57.1%, and 21.4%, respectively. We optimized CTV60 of medial group RLNs from the base of skull to the upper edge of C2 excluding specific cases. For patients with CTV60 optimization, radiation dose and volume of swallowing structures decreased obviously. Based on our radiotherapy strategy on CTV60, acute toxicities of enrolled patients were well tolerated. Ninety-six of 549 patients had scores with DESdC score. Eighty-three patients scored 1, seven patients scored 2, one patient scored 3, and three patients scored 4. The median interval from the onset of symptoms was 72 (4-114) months. The 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, local recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were 87%, 80%, 93%, and 85%, respectively. None of the patients with regional recurrence happened in the optimized region. Conclusion: DWI possesses superiorities in displaying lymph nodes. Based on the low incidence of the medial RLNs, CTV60 of medial group RLNs from the base of skull to the upper edge of C2 is feasible and has dosimetric advantages for protecting swallowing structures.

Indexed as

diffusion-weighed imagingLasso regression analysisnasopharyngeal carcinomaswallowing structuresthe medial group of retropharyngeal lymph nodes

Identifiers

PMID37736546
PMCPMC10509553

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