Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41737205›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in immunology2026

Discordance between radiological and pathological response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy in mismatch repair-deficient/microsatellite instability-high colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Yilin Xie, Leen Liao, Peirong Ding, Wu Jiang

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. 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

4 authors.

Yilin Xie *Department of Colorectal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Leen Liao *Department of Colorectal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Peirong DingDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Wu JiangDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI-H) cancers exhibit high immunogenicity and are highly responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In patients with locally advanced dMMR/MSI-H colorectal cancer (CRC), neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NIT) has demonstrated unprecedented pathological complete response (pCR) rates, suggesting nonoperative management strategies may be possible. There remains a discrepancy between radiological assessment and pathological responses to NIT in CRC. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between February 2015 and February 2025 to determine if radiological and pathological assessments following neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (NIT) were consistent in patients with non-metastatic dMMR/MSI-H CRC. Using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, the literature was retrieved, with inclusion criteria focusing on studies that reported both imaging data and pathological results. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted based on tumor location (colon versus rectum) and type of response (cCR versus pCR). Results: In 12 studies, 396 patients were included. A total rate of 59.6% discordance was found between radiological and pathological responses. Compared to rectal cancer patients (34.9%), colon cancer patients exhibited a significantly higher rate of discordance (64.2%). A total of 238 patients with confirmed pCR were incorrectly diagnosed as having residual disease on radiological assessment (OR = 61.41; 95% CI: 10.05-375.27;P < 0.00001). A high level of heterogeneity was observed across studies (I2 = 85%), but no publication bias was observed. Conclusion: In dMMR/MSI-H CRC, radiologic assessment alone cannot reliably assess the efficacy of NIT, particularly in colon cancer. It should be integrated with additional modalities-such as endoscopic evaluation and biomarker analysis-to ensure an accurate appraisal of treatment efficacy.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsDNA Mismatch RepairImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsImmunotherapyMicrosatellite InstabilityNeoadjuvant TherapyHumansPathologic Complete ResponseTreatment OutcomeImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsdMMR/MSI-H colorectal cancermeta-analysismicrosatellite instability-highneoadjuvant immunotherapyradiological assessment

Identifiers

PMID41737205
PMCPMC12926347

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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 Socratic graph.