Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42891744›Full record

ArticleClinical & experimental metastasis2026

Surgical resection versus stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastatic breast cancer to the liver.

Lianjie Niu, Lixu Zhu, Qiang Zhang, Yongtao Bai, Qigen Fang, Xianfu Sun, Wenzhi Guo

Abstract readComparative StudyMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical & experimental metastasis, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Lianjie NiuDepartment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, 1 Jianshe East Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou City, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Lixu ZhuDepartment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, 1 Jianshe East Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou City, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Qiang ZhangDepartment of Breast Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Yongtao BaiDepartment of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Qigen FangDepartment of Head and neck, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450008, People's Republic of China.
Xianfu SunDepartment of Breast Disease, Henan Breast Cancer Center, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Wenzhi GuoDepartment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, 1 Jianshe East Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou City, 450052, Henan, People's Republic of China. guowz66@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Comparative evidence for hepatic resection and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in breast cancer liver oligometastases remains limited. We compared survival, progression, and recovery after these treatments. This three-center retrospective study included adults with breast cancer and ≤ 3 liver metastases undergoing hepatic resection or SBRT between 2010 and 2023. Patients with uncontrolled extrahepatic disease were excluded. Propensity score matching generated 1:1 treatment pairs. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. Adjusted Cox models evaluated OS and progression-free survival (PFS); progression outcomes were analyzed with death as a competing event. Among 1,055 eligible patients, 708 were matched (354 per group). During a median follow-up of 54.8 months, 432 deaths occurred. Median OS was 48.3 months after surgery and 38.8 months after SBRT (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] for SBRT versus surgery, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.50). Median PFS was 21.8 and 19.7 months, respectively (adjusted HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.96-1.33). The 24 month cumulative incidence of treated-site local failure was 7.1% versus 6.5% (adjusted subdistribution HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.75-1.68). Median hospital stay was 8 versus 1 day; among patients restarting systemic therapy, median restart intervals were 45 versus 18 days. The OS association became less precise in analyses restricted to R0 resection or liver-only disease. Resection was associated with longer OS, while SBRT was associated with shorter hospitalization and treatment interruption. Uncertain differences in PFS and local failure do not establish equivalence. Residual confounding and treatment heterogeneity limit causal interpretation and warrant prospective comparative evaluation.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsHepatectomyLiver NeoplasmsRadiosurgeryAdultAgedFemaleHumansMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesBreast cancerHepatic resectionLiver metastasesOligometastatic diseaseStereotactic body radiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID42891744
PMCPMC13676576

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.