Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40041762›Full record

ArticleAdvances in radiation oncology2025

National Trends in Radiation Treatment for Small Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastases in the Modern Era.

Jay Desai, Sujay Rajkumar, Matthew J Shepard, Rodney E Wegner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Advances in radiation oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  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

4 authors.

Jay DesaiDrexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sujay RajkumarDrexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Matthew J ShepardDepartment of Neurosurgery, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Rodney E WegnerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive form of lung cancer that often leads to brain metastases. Traditional treatment has largely relied on whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). However, concerns about neurocognitive side effects have led to the adoption of advanced techniques such as hippocampal avoidance WBRT (HA-WBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods and Materials: This retrospective study used data from the National Cancer Database spanning from 2010 to 2021. The study included adult patients diagnosed with brain metastases from SCLC who received primary radiation therapy directed at the brain. Patients were categorized into 3 treatment groups: WBRT, HA-WBRT, and SRS. Statistical analyses, including logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox regression, were performed to identify predictors of treatment type and survival outcomes. Results: The study analyzed 24,858 patients with a median age of 65 years. Over time, there was a significant increase in the use of advanced radiation techniques (HA-WBRT and SRS). SRS and HA-WBRT were associated with longer median survival (10.6 and 10.1 months, respectively) than WBRT (7.3 months). Factors such as advanced age, extracranial disease, and higher comorbidity scores were linked to poorer survival, whereas the use of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and higher socioeconomic status were associated with improved outcomes. Conclusions: From 2010 to 2021, there has been an increase in the use of more advanced techniques to treat brain metastasis from SCLC. These advanced techniques were associated with improved survival outcomes, although selection bias and the retrospective nature of the study limit definitive conclusions.

Identifiers

PMID40041762
PMCPMC11876749

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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.