Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40452802›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology advances

Neurocognitive outcome of HS-WBRT vs WBRT in patients with brain metastases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Afia Salman, Unaiza Naeem, Shamas Ghazanfar, Areesha Jawed, Minaam Farooq

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuro-oncology advances. 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. Whole-brain radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost in treatment of patients with brain metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
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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

5 authors.

Afia SalmanDow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1422-2715
Unaiza NaeemDow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shamas GhazanfarDow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
Areesha JawedDow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
Minaam FarooqKing Edward Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is used prophylactically and therapeutically in patients with brain metastases, effectively controlling intracerebral tumors and reducing neurological mortality. However, WBRT poses a significant risk of cognitive decline. Hippocampus-sparing WBRT (HS-WBRT) offers a potential solution by preserving memory and other cognitive functions. This study evaluates neurocognitive outcomes of HS-WBRT compared to WBRT in patients with brain metastases. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Embase, and CENTRAL for cohort studies and clinical trials reporting neurocognitive outcomes of HS-WBRT vs WBRT, up to March 2024. Non-English studies and those lacking neurocognitive outcomes were excluded. Eligible studies underwent data extraction and analysis focused on neurocognitive function testing. Results: Of 9 eligible studies, 7 were included in the quantitative analysis. HS-WBRT significantly reduced cognitive decline compared to WBRT, with improvements in Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) scores for total recall (SMD = 0.42; Conclusion: HS-WBRT demonstrates a clear advantage over WBRT in preserving neurocognitive function in patients with brain metastases, as reflected in HVLT and MoCA scores. Future studies should further explore adverse effects and survival outcomes to guide clinical practice.

Indexed as

hippocampal avoidancememory preservationmeta-analysisneurocognitive outcomeswhole-brain radiation therapy

Identifiers

PMID40452802
PMCPMC12123685

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.