Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41645869›Full record

ArticleActa oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden)2026

The Association of right atrium and sinoatrial node irradiation with atrial fibrillation and radiation-induced heart disease in non-small cell lung cancer.

Christoffer Sander Graven-Nielsen, Anna Jakobsen Kragh, Rasmus Froberg Brøndum, Marie Louise Milo, Martin Skovmos Nielsen, Asbjørn Ettrup-Christensen, Kasper Lind Laursen, Weronika Maria Szejniuk

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation after thoracic radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: 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
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

8 authors.

Christoffer Sander Graven-NielsenDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Oncology & Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.ORCID 0009-0002-7256-7631
Anna Jakobsen KraghDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Oncology & Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.ORCID 0009-0009-1812-7257
Rasmus Froberg BrøndumCentre for Clinical Data Science, Aalborg University & Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-5537-6767
Marie Louise MiloDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Oncology & Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.ORCID 0009-0005-3474-4344
Martin Skovmos NielsenDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Oncology & Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark; Department of Medical Physics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-3955-7266
Asbjørn Ettrup-ChristensenDepartment of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Kasper Lind LaursenDepartment of Medical Physics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.ORCID 0009-0007-6424-4687
Weronika Maria SzejniukDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Denmark; Department of Oncology & Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-6790-6710

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeRadiotherapy (RT) is a key treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tumours near the heart may result in unintended cardiac radiation exposure, increasing the risk of cardiotoxicity, such as de novo atrial fibrillation (DNAF) and de novo heart diseases (DNHD) as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, arterial hypertension or sudden cardiac death. This study investigated associations between radiation dose to cardiac substructures and risk of DNAF and DNHD. Patient/material and methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients treated between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2020 for NSCLC with definitive RT. The heart, right atrium (RA) and sinoatrial node (SAN) were delineated. Associations between dose-volume parameters and cardiac outcomes were analysed using multivariable models adjusted for relevant confounders. Kaplan-Meier curves estimated survival; p-values < 0.05 were significant.

resultsAmong 273 included patients, 9.5% had AF pre-RT and 12.8% developed DNAF. DNAF was significantly associated with SAN Dmax (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.01), RA Dmax (HR = 1.02), RA Dmean (HR = 1.03), mean heart dose (MHD) (HR = 1.04) and heart V40Gy (HR = 1.03). One-year probabilities of DNAF and DNHD were 9.3% and 11%, increasing to 12.2% and 13.2% at 2 years. DNHD was significantly associated with SAN Dmax (HR = 1.02), RA Dmax (HR = 1.02), RA Dmean (HR = 1.04), MHD (HR = 1.06), heart V25Gy (HR = 1.03) and V40Gy (HR = 1.03).

interpretationThe RA and SAN may be considered organs at risk in future RT planning. Minimising cardiac radiation is important to reduce DNAF and DNHD risk. Validation in an independent cohort is warranted.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungHeart AtriaHeart DiseasesLung NeoplasmsRadiation InjuriesSinoatrial NodeAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRadiotherapy DosageRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID41645869
PMCPMC12887752

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.