ArticleJournal of thoracic disease2025
Incidence and prognosis of brain metastases in esophageal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Journal of thoracic disease, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Brain metastases (BMs) are associated with rapid progression and substantial morbidity. In recent years, the incidence of brain metastases from esophageal carcinoma (BMECs) has increased, despite remaining relatively rare. However, there is still a limited understanding of the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for BMECs. A comprehensive understanding of BMEC is critical to inform timely neuroimaging surveillance and guide treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to characterize the incidence, presentation and prognosis of BMECs. Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-compliant systematic search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library until January 2025. Studies reporting incidence rates or survival data for histologically confirmed esophageal carcinoma with radiologically verified BMs were eligible. Two independent reviewers extracted data using standardized forms encompassing: (I) demographic variables; (II) primary tumor characteristics; and (III) metastatic parameters. Results: A total of 31 eligible studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled incidence of BMECs was 2.84% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.92-4.19%]. Notably, patients with adenocarcinoma exhibited a significantly higher incidence of BMECs compared to those with squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) [5.34% (95% CI: 3.52-8.12%) Conclusions: Comprehensive meta-analysis indicates BMEC as an uncommon but severe event in patients with esophageal carcinoma, demonstrating a poor prognosis of BMEC and a higher prevalence and incidence of BMs in adenocarcinoma. These findings support the regular use of brain imaging at staging and neuroimaging surveillance at follow-up in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Future research directions should focus on developing precise BM risk prediction tools and prospective studies to establish optimal treatment for BMECs.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.