Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41164166›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in medicine2025

Efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine injection combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Jiacheng Wang, Hongbin Xi, Xuewei Chen, Yingqian Xin, Fengqin Wei

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in medicine, 2025. 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

5 authors.

Jiacheng WangCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
Hongbin XiDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Classics, Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tai'an, China.
Xuewei ChenCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
Yingqian XinDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Classics, Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tai'an, China.
Fengqin WeiCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a significant global health concern. Chinese medicine injections (CMIs) are widely utilized as adjunctive therapies for EC. This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of various CMIs in combination with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for the treatment of EC. Methods: Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were comprehensively searched in eight electronic databases until August 2024. The quality of eligible RCTs was assessed via the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2.0). Bayesian NMA was conducted through R 4.2.1 and Stata 15.1, with treatment regimens ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). The quality of evidence was evaluated using CINeMA. Results: 54 studies encompassing 4,201 patients and 13 types of CMIs were included. Astragalus polysaccharide injection (HQDT) combined with CCRT (SUCRA: 86.7%) ranked highest for improving clinical effectiveness rate. Kanglaite injection (KLT) combined with CCRT (SUCRA: 85.1%; 90.1%) was optimal for enhancing performance status and one-year survival rate. Kangai injection (KA) combined with CCRT (SUCRA: 97.2%) achieved the greatest improvement in CD3 Conclusion: CMIs combined with CCRT appear to provide superior therapeutic efficacy over CCRT alone in the treatment of EC. In particular, HQDT, KLT, KA, AD, and FFKS exhibited the most pronounced benefits across key clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the findings shall be validated in multicenter, better-designed RCTs. Systematic review registration: The PRISMA registration details for this study can be found at: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024574242.

Indexed as

Chinese medicine injectioncomplementary medicineconcurrent chemoradiotherapyesophageal cancernetwork meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID41164166
PMCPMC12558960

What Socratic 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 Socratic graph.