SynthesisJournal of neuro-oncology2026
Low-energy X-ray intraoperative radiotherapy for brain metastases: a systematic review of efficacy and safety.
Synthesis in Journal of neuro-oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Symptomatic radiation necrosis following intracranial brachytherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuro-oncology · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeTo evaluate the current use of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in the treatment of brain metastases.
methodsA systematic search of MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies included those reporting on the use of IORT for brain metastases, with data on patient demographics, treatment protocols, and clinical outcomes. Studies were screened and selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted on study design, cohort size, IORT protocols, survival outcomes, and treatment-related complications. Quality assessments were performed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool.
resultsSixteen studies with 606 patients assessed the efficacy and safety of low-energy X-ray IORT for brain metastases. Median applicator size was 2 cm across studies (range of reported study medians, 1.5–5 cm). Local control rates at 1 year ranged from 84.2% to 98%, with most studies reporting rates above 87%. Distant brain control was more variable, ranging from 13% to 73.5% at 1 year. Overall survival at 1 year varied between 57.7% and 80%, with median survival times from 12.3 to 26.4 months. The incidence of radiation necrosis (RN) was generally low at 4.2%, in the newly diagnosed lesions, with a symptomatic RN rate of 0.77% among 259 new lesions. Overall reported rates of RN were low at 6.6%. Perioperative complication rates were also low, with the most common events being bleeding (3.9%) and infection (3.0%).
conclusionIORT may offer effective local control for brain metastases, with a 1-year local control rate that seems to compare favorably to SRS, the current standard of care. Reported symptomatic RN rates were low, particularly in newly diagnosed lesions, although these observations are based largely on noncomparative observational studies. Further research is needed to clarify comparative effectiveness, safety, and patient selection.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41915262What 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.