Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38154511›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics2024

Patient Experiences of Brachytherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Hearing the Patient Voice Through Qualitative Interviews.

Pauline Humphrey, Emma Dures, Peter Hoskin, Fiona Cramp

Open access · bronzeAbstract 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 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
5.3field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. AI based sentiment analysis of online discussions related to cervical brachytherapy.Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Role of rectal spacers in gynecological cancer radiotherapy: reducing rectal dose and treatment-related toxicity.Reports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Development and refinement of patient care recommendations in brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer using nominal group technique workshops.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Article
  7. 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.

Pauline HumphreyCollege of Health, Science & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom; Bristol Cancer Institute, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Pauline2.humphrey@uwe.ac.uk.
Emma DuresCollege of Health, Science & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Peter HoskinDivision of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, United Kingdom.
Fiona CrampCollege of Health, Science & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.
University of the West of England · GBUniversity of Manchester · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeBrachytherapy for gynecological cancer is reported to cause pain, anxiety, and distress with no clear guidance for optimizing patient experiences. The aim of this study was to explore patient experiences of brachytherapy and views on improvement. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Semistructured interviews were undertaken with patients who had received brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer. Two cohorts were recruited: cohort 1 had recently had brachytherapy, and cohort 2 was a year post brachytherapy. Four recruitment sites were selected, where brachytherapy is given in different ways, some with short day case procedures and others having 1 or 2 overnight stays with applicators in place. Consecutive patients were invited to interview. Participants were asked to retell their brachytherapy story, with views on their care and ideas for improvement. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and data analyzed following Braun and Clarke's method for reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThirty-five interviews were conducted (20 in cohort 1 and 15 in cohort 2). Participant's ages ranged from 28 to 87 years. The interview duration ranged from 22 to 78 minutes. Difficult and traumatic experiences were reported, including periods of severe pain and perceptions of poor care. However, some participants described positive experiences and what went well. Three themes were developed: (1) how the patient got through it, (2) unpleasantness, discomfort, and the aftermath, and (3) emotional consequences and trauma. Some aspects of medium and long duration brachytherapy were found to be more problematic compared with short duration brachytherapy. Exploring experiences at 1-year post brachytherapy has provided insights into the long-lasting impact of brachytherapy experiences.

conclusionsHearing the patient voice has demonstrated that further work is needed to improve patient care in modern brachytherapy techniques using different regimens and durations, to minimize difficult and traumatic patient experiences. Study insights will inform future work to develop clinical care recommendations.

Indexed as

BrachytherapyQualitative ResearchUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnxietyFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMiddle AgedPatient Satisfaction

Identifiers

PMID38154511
PMCPMC11183299
OpenAlexW4390226647

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.