Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39983352›Full record

Observational studyGynecologic oncology2025

Efficacy of induction chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic for treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer in Botswana.

Emily MacDuffie, Caroline Kernell, Jessica George, Memory Bvochora-Nsingo, Peter Vuylsteke, Lisa Bazzett-Matabele, Kgosi Hughes, Megan Kassick, Surbhi Grover

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Gynecologic oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Emily MacDuffieDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Caroline KernellUT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA.
Jessica GeorgeDepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Memory Bvochora-NsingoGaborone Private Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana.
Peter VuylstekeUniversity of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana; Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana; CHU Brugmann Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
Lisa Bazzett-MatabeleUniversity of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana; Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana.
Kgosi HughesUniversity of Oklahoma College of Medicine, OK, USA.
Megan KassickDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Surbhi GroverDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Botswana School of Medicine, Gaborone, Botswana. Electronic address: surbhi.grover@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

Funding

Prognostic value of quantitative HPV viral load in determining cervical cancer treatment response and recurrenceK08CA230170 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI GROVER, SURBHI · 2019 to 2023
$1.4M
NCI NIH HHS K08 CA230170
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesStandard chemoradiation (CRT) treatment for cervical cancer was disrupted in Botswana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients were prescribed induction chemotherapy (IC) to bridge delays to radiotherapy (RT) or CRT (IC + RT/CRT).

methodsThis prospective observational study compared outcomes of locally advanced cervical cancer patients who received IC + RT/CRT (n = 67) between 2019 and 2022 to historical controls who received CRT (n = 169) between 2014 and 2019. IC + RT/CRT consisted of four cycles of paclitaxel 175 mg/m

resultsMedian follow-up was 28.9 months (95 % CI 27.4-32.7 months). Two-year OS of the IC + RT/CRT cohort (80.2 % [95 % CI: 69.8-92.1 %]) did not differ from the historical CRT cohort (77.5 % [95 % CI 71.3-84.1 %]). Improved OS was associated with receiving ≥3 cycles of IC on MVA. Secondary analysis among those prescribed IC + RT/CRT (n = 91) demonstrated no difference in 2-year OS (66.8 % [95 % CI: 56.9-78.3 %]) compared to CRT historical controls. Receipt of the prescribed IC + RT/CRT was associated with increased OS on MVA.

conclusionsSurvival of patients who received IC + RT/CRT did not differ from historical CRT controls and was associated with ≥3 cycles of IC, suggesting that IC may be a feasible treatment pathway when RT is delayed.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCOVID-19Induction ChemotherapyUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAdultAgedBotswanaBrachytherapyCarboplatinChemoradiotherapyCisplatinFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPaclitaxelProspective StudiesCarboplatinCisplatinPaclitaxelCervical cancerInduction chemotherapyRadiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID39983352
PMCPMC13220235

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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.