Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38724805›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of nuclear medicine2024

The prognostic value of lymph node to primary tumor standardized uptake value ratio in cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

Wing-Keen Yap, Ken-Hao Hsu, Ting-Hao Wang, Chia-Hsin Lin, Chung-Jan Kang, Shih-Ming Huang, Huan-Chun Lin, Tsung-Min Hung, Kai-Ping Chang, Tsung-You Tsai

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of nuclear medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Cancer imaging : the official publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society · 2026
    Trial
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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

10 authors.

Wing-Keen Yap *Proton and Radiation Therapy Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Ken-Hao Hsu *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fu-Hsing St. Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Ting-Hao WangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fu-Hsing St. Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Chia-Hsin LinProton and Radiation Therapy Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Chung-Jan KangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fu-Hsing St. Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Shih-Ming HuangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, 204, Taiwan.
Huan-Chun LinDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Tsung-Min HungProton and Radiation Therapy Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Kai-Ping ChangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fu-Hsing St. Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan.
Tsung-You TsaiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 5, Fu-Hsing St. Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333423, Taiwan. J-acky_101@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2486-7317

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe lymph node to primary tumor standardized uptake value ratio (NTR) is an innovative parameter derived from positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans that captures the intricate relationship between primary tumors and associated lymph nodes. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of NTR in cancer patients.

methodsA systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases was conducted to identify studies investigating the association between NTR and survival outcomes in cancer patients. The pooled adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model.

resultsTwelve studies comprising a total of 2037 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Elevated NTR was significantly associated with worse overall survival aHR (2.21, 95% CI 1.63 to 2.99), disease-free survival aHR (3.27, 95% CI 2.12 to 5.05), and distant metastasis-free survival aHR (2.07, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.78) in cancer patients. Subgroup analyses by cancer type showed consistent results across various malignancies, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

conclusionsThis meta-analysis provides evidence for a significant association between elevated NTR and worse survival outcomes in cancer patients. Elevated NTR may serve as a useful prognostic biomarker for cancer patients and could potentially be used to guide treatment decisions and monitor disease progression. Future studies should aim to validate these findings in larger and more diverse patient populations and investigate the underlying mechanisms for the observed association between NTR and survival outcomes.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPositron Emission Tomography Computed TomographyBiological TransportHumansLymph NodesPrognosisCancerMeta-analysisNode-to-primary tumor SUV ratioNTRPETPrognosis

Identifiers

PMID38724805

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.