Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42219540›Full record

SynthesisCancer medicine2026

Quantifying Weight Loss Prior to Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Claire A Price, Debbie Cooke, Freda Mold, Nadia A S Smith, Martyn Winn, Agnieszka Lemanska

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cancer medicine, 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.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

6 authors.

Claire A PriceUniversity of Surrey, School of Health Sciences, Surrey, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3060-9821
Debbie CookeUniversity of Surrey, School of Health Sciences, Surrey, UK.
Freda MoldUniversity of Surrey, School of Health Sciences, Surrey, UK.
Nadia A S SmithRoyal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Scientific Computing, Guildford, UK.
Martyn WinnScience and Technology Facilities Council, Scientific Computing Department, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot, UK.
Agnieszka LemanskaImperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate due to late diagnosis and presentation with non-specific symptoms like weight loss. Quantifying weight loss more precisely could enhance its utility as a diagnostic marker.

methodsIn March 2025, we systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and Scopus for studies reporting quantitative pre-diagnosis weight loss in pancreatic cancer, with no date restrictions. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022302985). Primary outcomes were weight loss (kg) and BMI change (kg/m

resultsThe analysis included 25 studies (25,971 participants). In random-effects meta-analysis, we found that on average participants lost 5.9 kg [95% CI 4.7 to 7.1] of body weight. The average BMI change was -2.5 kg/m

conclusionsThis meta-analysis provides a reference for expected weight loss in pancreatic cancer, aiding clinical practice and improving early detection models.

Indexed as

Pancreatic NeoplasmsWeight LossBody Mass IndexHumansMale

Identifiers

PMID42219540
PMCPMC13239862

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.