Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39877301›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational radiation oncology2025

Short-term survivors with brain metastases have modest benefits from focal and systemic therapies and remain frequent despite improving treatment landscape.

M Czogalla, J Stöhr, N Gleim, K Papsdorf, S Klagges, P Hambsch, T Kuhnt, F Nägler, A Barrantes-Freer, J Wach and 2 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 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

12 authors.

M CzogallaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
J StöhrDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
N GleimDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
K PapsdorfDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
S KlaggesClinical Cancer Registry Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 27b, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
P HambschDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
T KuhntDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
F NäglerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
A Barrantes-FreerDepartment of Neuropathology,University of Leipzig Medical Center, Liebigstraße 26, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
J WachDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Liebigstraße 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
N H NicolayDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
C SeidelDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Stephanstraße 9a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Therapeutic options for patients with brain metastases (BM) increase. While these lead to considerable survival effects in subgroups, there is limited knowledge about characteristics, prognosticators and treatment effects in patients with BM and short survival. Methods: Patients with a survival time of ≤ 6 months (short-term survivors, STS), diagnosed with BM between 2009-2021 at a large tertiary cancer center were analysed. Clinical and treatment characteristics, pathological data and causes of death were documented. Descriptive statistics, treatment-specific univariate Kaplan-Meier estimator analyses and multivariate Cox regression were performed. Results: Among 1248 patients with BM, 480 (38 %) were STS. 256 STS with detailed clinical records were included in this analysis. In univariate and multivariate analysis, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (p < 0.001) and number of BM (p = 0.004) were prognostic. In 75 % of patients, the ds-GPA score predicted short-term survival. Use of resection with focal radiotherapy (p < 0.001) and systemic treatment (p < 0.001) appeared prognostically favourable compared to whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone. However, survival benefits were very modest, with a median gain of 6 weeks following resection and focal radiotherapy compared to whole-brain radiotherapy, and 3 weeks from systemic treatment. Systemic tumor progression was documented as the cause of death in the majority of patients. Over the examined time period, the ratio between STS and other patients remained without significant change. Conclusion: Within STS, KPS and number of BM are of prognostic relevance. There is benefit from local and systemic therapy to a limited extent. Shared and carefully discussed individual therapy decisions are necessary.

Indexed as

Brain metastasesRadiotherapyShort-term survivorsSystemic therapy

Identifiers

PMID39877301
PMCPMC11772985

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