Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38040059›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics2024

Proton Therapy Mediates Dose Reductions to Brain Structures Associated With Cognition in Children With Medulloblastoma.

Julianna Sienna, Lisa S Kahalley, Donald Mabbott, David Grosshans, Anna Theresa Santiago, Arnold Dela Cruz Paulino, Thomas E Merchant, Gohar S Manzar, Hitesh Dama, David C Hodgson and 11 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Proton versus photon radiation therapy for pediatric medulloblastomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2025
    Pooled it
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  6. Bridging the proton gap: A proton therapy consultation service for Canadian radiation oncologists.Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology · 2025
    Article
  7. 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

21 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Julianna SiennaJuravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: siennaj@hhsc.ca.
Lisa S KahalleyDivision of Psychology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Donald MabbottDepartment of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
David GrosshansDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Anna Theresa SantiagoDepartment of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Arnold Dela Cruz PaulinoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Thomas E MerchantDepartment of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Gohar S ManzarDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Hitesh DamaRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
David C HodgsonRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Murali ChintagumpalaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Mehmet Fatih OkcuDepartment of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
William E WhiteheadDepartment of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Normand LaperriereRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Vijay RamaswamyDivision of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ute BartelsDivision of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Uri TaboriDivision of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Julie M BennettDivision of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Anirban DasDivision of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Tim CraigRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Derek S TsangRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Hospital for Sick Children · CAUniversity Health Network · CABaylor College of Medicine · USThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · USJuravinski Cancer Centre · CASt. Jude Children's Research Hospital · US

Funding

Comparison of Symptom Burden/Toxicity, Neurocognitive Change, and Functional Outcomes in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients Treated with Proton vs. Photon Radiotherapy.R01CA249988 · NCI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI HINDS, PAMELA S, KAHALLEY, LISA SCHUM · 2021 to 2025
$6.8M
Cognitive Change after Proton RT vs. Photon or Surgery for Pediatric Brain TumorR01CA187202 · NCI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI KAHALLEY, LISA SCHUM · 2014 to 2019
$2.9M
Neurocognitive Outcomes Following Proton Beam Radiation Therapy for Treatment ofK07CA157923 · NCI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI KAHALLEY, LISA SCHUM · 2011 to 2015
$743k
NCI NIH HHS K07 CA157923NCI NIH HHS R01 CA187202NCI NIH HHS R01 CA249988
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeEmerging evidence suggests proton radiation therapy may offer cognitive sparing advantages over photon radiation therapy, yet dosimetry has not been compared previously. The purpose of this study was to examine dosimetric correlates of cognitive outcomes in children with medulloblastoma treated with proton versus photon radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this retrospective, bi-institutional study, dosimetric and cognitive data from 75 patients (39 photon and 36 proton) were analyzed. Doses to brain structures were compared between treatment modalities. Linear mixed-effects models were used to create models of global IQ and cognitive domain scores.

resultsThe mean dose and dose to 40% of the brain (D40) were 2.7 and 4.1 Gy less among proton-treated patients compared with photon-treated patients (P = .03 and .007, respectively). Mean doses to the left and right hippocampi were 11.2 Gy lower among proton-treated patients (P < .001 for both). Mean doses to the left and right temporal lobes were 6.9 and 7.1 Gy lower with proton treatment, respectively (P < .001 for both). Models of cognition found statistically significant associations between higher mean brain dose and reduced verbal comprehension, increased right temporal lobe D40 with reduced perceptual reasoning, and greater left temporal mean dose with reduced working memory. Higher brain D40 was associated with reduced processing speed and global IQ scores.

conclusionsProton therapy reduces doses to normal brain structures compared with photon treatment. This leads to reduced cognitive decline after radiation therapy across multiple intellectual endpoints. Proton therapy should be offered to children receiving radiation for medulloblastoma.

Indexed as

Cerebellar NeoplasmsMedulloblastomaProton TherapyBrainChildCognitionDrug TaperingHumansProtonsRadiotherapy DosageRetrospective StudiesProtons

Identifiers

PMID38040059
PMCPMC11023754
OpenAlexW4389196067

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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.