Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41127422›Full record

ArticleTechnical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology2025

A prospective audit of thoracic reirradiation practice and peer-review in a high-volume academic center.

Geraldine Murphy, Daniel Tong, Grace Wu, B C John Cho, Meredith Giuliani, Andrew Hope, Benjamin H Lok, Alexander Sun, Jean-Pierre Bissonnette, Andrea Bezjak

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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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

10 authors.

Geraldine MurphyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Daniel TongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Grace WuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
B C John ChoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Meredith GiulianiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Andrew HopeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Benjamin H LokDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Alexander SunDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jean-Pierre BissonnetteDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Andrea BezjakDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Reirradiation is an increasingly common challenge with limited prospective evidence to guide practice, which varies internationally. This paper presents the patterns of practice in thoracic reirradiation within a high-volume academic center. Methods: Thoracic reirradiation cases, discussed at the thoracic radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) meeting, were prospectively collected over 12 months between April 2024 and March 2025. Data collected included patient demographics, primary tumor site, details of previous and current planned radiotherapy, the extent and type of overlap and any treatment plan modifications. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 85 (18.2 % of 466 cases) reirradiation cases were identified at 26 QA meetings. Most reirradiation plans (68.2 %) were of radical intent, with dose overlap (89.4 %, n = 76). Challenges included unreliable registration of prior radiotherapy datasets (16.5 %) and deciding appropriate plan modifications to improve safety: 24.7 % optimized dose distribution to an OAR, 23.5 % involved dose reductions from standard prescriptions and 15.3 % compromised target volume coverage. The most frequently identified dose-limiting OARs were the proximal bronchial tree, esophagus, and spinal cord. Concerns about a lack of normal tissue recovery arose in 7.1 % of cases. In 10.6 % of cases there was explicit discussion of a dose discount for OARs for presumed partial tissue recovery. Peer-review prompted revision of the treatment plan in 11.8 % of cases. Conclusion: These findings underscore the complexity of thoracic reirradiation and highlight the need for further guidance in the area and the role of QA rounds in optimizing safety and treatment decisions while best practice remains uncertain.

Indexed as

Patterns of careQuality assuranceReirradiationThoracic radiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID41127422
PMCPMC12538463

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.