Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40376112›Full record

ReviewOncology reviews2025

Efficacies of radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients treated with total mesorectal excision or other types of surgery: an updated meta-analysis.

Wenshu Wang, Runyuan Zhao, Xi Liang, Manjun Liu, Haiyan Bai, Jianli Ge, Binxi Yao, Zheng Zhi, Jianming He

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Oncology reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Food science & nutrition · 2026
    Review
  2. 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.

Wenshu Wang *Department of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Runyuan Zhao *Department of Gastroenterology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Xi LiangDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Manjun LiuDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Haiyan BaiDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Jianli GeDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Binxi YaoDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Zheng ZhiDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.
Jianming HeDepartment of Radiotherapy, Hebei Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: An updated meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients treated with total mesorectal excision (TME) or other types of surgery (non-TME-only). Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases were searched. Data on overall survival (OS) were extracted. Results: Hazard ratios (HRs) for OS associated with preoperative radiotherapy, preoperative long-course concurrent chemoradiotherapy (LCCRT), preoperative radiotherapy alone, and postoperative radiotherapy in patients treated with TME were 1.02 [95% CI: 0.92-1.14, P = 0.65], 1.04 [95% CI: 0.93-1.16, P = 0.47], 0.87 [95% CI: 0.61-1.25, P = 0.46], and 1.18 [95% CI: 0.91-1.52, P = 0.20], respectively. HRs for OS associated with preoperative radiotherapy, preoperative LCCRT, preoperative radiotherapy alone, preoperative long-course RT (LCRT), and preoperative short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) in patients treated with non-TME-only surgery were 0.85 [95% CI: 0.79-0.90, P < 0.00001], 0.77 [95% CI: 0.63-0.94, P = 0.009], 0.86 [95% CI: 0.80-0.92, P < 0.0001], 0.83 [95% CI: 0.73-0.95, P = 0.005], and 0.84 [95% CI: 0.77-0.91, P= <0.0001], respectively. The HR for postoperative radiotherapy in patients treated with non-TME-only surgery was 1.08 [95% CI: 0.84-1.39, P = 0.57]. Conclusion: Preoperative radiotherapy, regardless of the regimen, improves the OS in patients treated with non-TME-only surgery, but not in those treated with TME. Postoperative radiotherapy does not improve OS. Advances in knowledge: This meta-analysis will serve as a reference for decision-making in multidisciplinary approaches for rectal cancer patients.

Indexed as

concurrent chemoradiotherapyradiotherapyrectal cancersurgeryTME

Identifiers

PMID40376112
PMCPMC12078337

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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.