Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39651456›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational radiation oncology2025

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy of brainstem metastases - Clinical outcome and prognostic factors.

Anna Krämer, Laura Hahnemann, Fabian Schunn, Christoph A Grott, Michael Thomas, Petros Christopoulos, Jonathan W Lischalk, Juliane Hörner-Rieber, Philipp Hoegen-Saßmannshausen, Tanja Eichkorn and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and translational radiation oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

17 authors.

Anna KrämerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Laura HahnemannDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Fabian SchunnDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Christoph A GrottDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael ThomasDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Thoraxklinik and National Center for Tumor Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Petros ChristopoulosDepartment of Thoracic Oncology, Thoraxklinik and National Center for Tumor Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jonathan W LischalkDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Health at Long Island, New York, NY, USA.
Juliane Hörner-RieberDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Philipp Hoegen-SaßmannshausenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Tanja EichkornDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Maximilian Y DengDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Eva MeixnerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Kristin LangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Angela PaulDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Fabian WeykampDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Jürgen DebusDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Laila KönigDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Brain metastases (BM) are the most common malignancy in the central nervous system (CNS) and observed in approximately 30% of cancer patients. Brainstem metastases (BSM) are challenging because of their location and the associated neurological risks. There are still no general therapeutic recommendations in this setting. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is one of few possible local therapy options but limited due to the tolerance dose of the brainstem. There is still no standard regarding the optimal dose und fractionation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 65 patients with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) for 69 BSM. FSRT was delivered at a dose of 30 Gy in six fractions prescribed to the 70 % isodose performed with Cyberknife. Overall survival (OS), local control (LC) and total intracranial brain control (TIBC) were analyzed via Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify prognostic factors. Results: Median follow-up was 27.3 months. One-year TIBC was 35.0 % and one-year LC was 84.1 %. Median OS was 8.9 months. In total, local progression occurred in 7.7 % and in 8.2 % symptomatic radiation-induced contrast enhancements (RICE) were diagnosed. In univariate analysis the Karnofsky performance scale index (KPI) (p = 0,001) was an independent prognostic factor for longer OS. Acute CTCAE grade 3 toxicities occurred in 18.4 %. Conclusion: FSRT for BSM is as an effective and safe treatment approach with high LC rates and reasonable neurological toxicity despite the poor prognosis in this patient cohort is still very poor. Clinical and imaging follow-up is necessary to identify cerebral progression and adverse toxicity including RICE.

Indexed as

Brainstem metastasesCyberKnifeFractionated stereotactic radiotherapyImmunotherapyRadiation-induced contrast enhancement

Identifiers

PMID39651456
PMCPMC11621500

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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.