Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42111023›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology practice2026

Understanding the unmet needs of patients with brain metastases referred for stereotactic radiotherapy and their caregivers: A prospective cohort study.

Fia Cialdella, Eva E van Grinsven, Steven H J Nagtegaal, Arthur T J van der Boog, Celeste C Hinkert, Marion G Jentink, Ernst J Smid, An Claes, Catharina E Kleynen, Tom J Snijders and 5 more

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Article in Neuro-oncology practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

15 authors.

Fia CialdellaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1313-5513
Eva E van GrinsvenDepartment of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (E.E.V.G., A.T.J.V.D.B., T.J.S., M.J.E.v.Z.).
Steven H J NagtegaalDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam (S.H.J.N.).
Arthur T J van der BoogDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Celeste C HinkertDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Marion G JentinkDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Ernst J SmidDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
An ClaesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Catharina E KleynenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Tom J SnijdersDepartment of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (E.E.V.G., A.T.J.V.D.B., T.J.S., M.J.E.v.Z.).ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0857-081X
Filip Y F de VosDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., F.Y.F.d.V.).
Marielle E P PhilippensDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Martine J E van ZandvoortDepartment of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (E.E.V.G., A.T.J.V.D.B., T.J.S., M.J.E.v.Z.).
Szabolcs DavidDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (F.C., A.T.J.V.D.B., C.C.H., M.G.J., E.J.S., A.C., C.E.K., M.E.P.P., S.D.).
Joost J C VerhoeffDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam (S.D., J.J.C.V.).

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Abstract: BackgroundBrain metastases (BMs) affect >30% of patients with cancer. Beyond survival, quality of life (QoL), and disease progression are critical concerns for both patients and their caregivers. We present the design of COIMBRA (Cohort for patient-reported Outcomes, Imaging, and trial inclusion in Metastatic BRAin disease), clinical characteristics, and pre-radiotherapy QoL data for patients and caregivers. Methods: COIMBRA is an observational, prospective, single-center cohort at UMC Utrecht, the Netherlands, focusing on BMs patients planned for (fractionated) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and their caregivers. We collected clinical characteristics, imaging, and QoL (patient and caregiver) data via patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires. PROs include the EORTC QLQ-C30, BN20, EQ-5D-3L (including VAS), CFQ, HADS, MFI, and CSI. PROs were compared with reference values from the literature for healthy, cancer, and brain tumor populations. Results: From April 2019 to April 2023, 377 patients (50.4% male, median age 66 years) who received stereotactic radiosurgery, were included. Two hundred and seventy-six patients and 115 caregivers consented to PROs. Patients reported lower QoL compared to healthy individuals and primary brain tumor patients, with worse role- and cognitive functioning compared to patients with cancer. Pre-radiotherapy, 1/3 of the caregivers felt overwhelmed. Almost 40% of them report signs of anxiety, which is less than caregivers of cancer or primary brain tumor patients. Conclusions: These data from a large cohort of patients with BMs and their caregivers underscore the unique clinical profile of this vulnerable population. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted support systems to address unmet needs of both patients and caregivers.

Indexed as

brain metastasescaregiverscohort studiesquality of liferadiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID42111023
PMCPMC13153698

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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.