Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38502353›Full record

Trial reportSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024

Piloting a language translation device for Mandarin-speaking patients presenting for radiotherapy treatment-assessing patient and radiation therapist perspectives.

Darren Hunter, Nigel Anderson, Richard Oates, David Kok, Daniel Sapkaroski, Nicola Treffry, Caroline Wright

Open access · hybridAbstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 27% 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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The Treatment Experience of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review To Inform Radiotherapy Communication.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2025
    Review
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

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Darren HunterDepartment of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia. darren.hunter@monash.edu.
Nigel AndersonRadiation Oncology, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
Richard OatesRadiation Therapy Services, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Bendigo, VIC, Australia.
David KokDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Moorabbin, VIC, Australia.
Daniel SapkaroskiRadiation Therapy Services, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Nicola TreffryRadiation Therapy Services, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Caroline WrightDepartment of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre · AUMonash University · AUAustin Health · AU

Funding

Victorian Medical Radiation Practitioners Education Trust (VMRPET) 2017
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCulturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) cancer patients report unmet informational and emotional needs when receiving radiotherapy (RT). This feasibility study aimed to evaluate the clinical use of an instant translation device (ITD) to facilitate communication between Mandarin-speaking patients and radiation therapists (RTTs) within the Australian public RT setting. The primary aim was to assess the ability to convey information relating to daily patient care and build rapport using the device.

methodsA single-arm prospective interventional trial was employed with patient and RTT participants. Eligible patient participants were aged 18 years or older, diagnosed with cancer, referred for RT with self-reported Mandarin as the primary language spoken at home. Patients who had previously received RT were excluded. Consenting patient participants completed a baseline assessment of health literacy (REALM-SF) and English proficiency (LexTALE). Surveys were administered to patients and consenting RTTs at the cessation of treatment, forming two distinct participant groups. Descriptive statistics were used to compare participant groups.

resultsEleven patients and 36 RTTs were recruited to the study. Descriptive statistics demonstrated participant group agreement in conveying treatment instructions, though differing experiences were reported against general conversation. Although the reporting of technical difficulties was inconsistent, both groups recommended the application of the ITD within the RT domain.

conclusionThis feasibility study demonstrated encouraging accounts of patients and RTTs with regard to ITD use in the context of RT treatment. Expanded, multi-institutional recruitment is required to yield statistical significance, inform the impact of the device, and determine requisite training requirements.

trial registrationHREC reference number: LNR/18/PMCC/115 (18/100L). HREC approval date: 10 July 2018.

Indexed as

CommunicationNeoplasmsAustraliaHumansLanguageProspective StudiesCALDCancerCommunicationPatient careRadiotherapyTranslation

Identifiers

PMID38502353
PMCPMC10951040
OpenAlexW4392962852

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.