Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40022062›Full record

SynthesisBMC cancer2025

Prognostic effects of different nephroureterectomy techniques for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: a network meta-analysis.

Huan Wen, Yu Zhou, Lin Yang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. 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

3 authors.

Huan WenDepartment of Urology, Bishan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 402760, China.
Yu ZhouDepartment of Urology, Bishan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 402760, China.
Lin YangDepartment of Urology, Bishan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 402760, China. linyang_bs@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUpper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is an aggressive malignant tumor, with surgical intervention as the primary treatment. This study evaluates the prognostic effects of laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LNU), open radical nephroureterectomy (ONU), robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (Robotic LNU), and hand-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (Hand LNU) in the treatment of UTUC through a network meta-analysis.

methodsA systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials meeting the criteria from database inception until April 2024. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to compare the effects of each surgical method on overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall recurrence rate (ORE).

resultsSeventeen randomized controlled trials were included in this network meta-analysis. The results indicated that LNU significantly improved CSS compared to ONU [HR = 0.81, 95%CI= (0.7, 0.93)], while there were no significant differences between Hand LNU and Robotic LNU compared to ONU. Among minimally invasive surgeries, Hand LNU significantly shortened CSS compared to LNU [HR = 1.49, 95%CI=(1.1, 2.03)]. Regarding ORE, no significant differences were found between LNU, Hand LNU, and Robotic LNU compared to ONU, although LNU had a higher recurrence rate than Robotic LNU [HR = 1.705, 95%CI=(1.007, 3.001)]. For OS, both LNU [HR = 0.84, 95%CI=(0.75, 0.94)] and Robotic LNU [HR = 0.81, 95%CI=(0.68, 0.96)] were significantly better than ONU, whereas Hand LNU significantly shortened OS compared to LNU and Robotic LNU. There were no significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) between LNU and ONU. The cumulative efficacy ranking indicated that Robotic LNU ranked highest for ORE and OS, while LNU ranked first for CSS.

conclusionRobotic LNU demonstrates advantages in prolonging OS and reducing recurrence rates, while LNU excels in improving CSS. Although Hand LNU shows suboptimal effects in some comparisons, it remains valuable, and surgical choices should be based on individualized needs.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Transitional CellNephroureterectomyUrologic NeoplasmsBayes TheoremHumansLaparoscopyNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalPrognosisRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRobotic Surgical ProceduresCancer-specific survival (CSS)Nephroureterectomy (NU)Overall survival (OS)Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC)

Identifiers

PMID40022062
PMCPMC11869653

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.