Evidence mapPaperPMID 42397290Full record

ArticleActa oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden)2026

Overall survival following palliative immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment according to ECOG performance status: a large registry-based study.

Per Nodbrant, Eva Ulff, Magnus Lagerlund, Sander Ellegård, Olle Eriksson, Freddi Lewin, Kristina Engvall

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden), 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.

Per NodbrantDepartment of Oncology, County Hospital Ryhov, Region Jönköping County, Sweden.
Eva UlffDepartment of Oncology, County Hospital Ryhov, Region Jönköping County, Sweden.
Magnus LagerlundDepartment of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Kalmar County Hospital, Region Kalmar, Sweden.
Sander EllegårdDepartment of Oncology, Linköping University Hospital, Region Östergötland, Sweden; Department of biomedical and clinical sciences, Linköping University, Sweden.
Olle ErikssonFuturum - the Academy for Health and Care, Region Jönköping County, Sweden.
Freddi LewinDepartment of biomedical and clinical sciences, Linköping University, Sweden.
Kristina EngvallDepartment of Oncology, County Hospital Ryhov, Region Jönköping County, Sweden; Department of biomedical and clinical sciences, Linköping University, Sweden. kristina.engvall@liu.se.ORCID 0000-0002-7291-7227

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposePalliative immune checkpoint inhibitor (pICI) treatment has improved overall survival (OS) in many solid tumours during the last decades. However, the survival benefits are based on fit patients included in the clinical trials, all with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance status (ECOG PS) 0-1. Data on survival in PS 2-3 patients are limited. This study aimed to compare OS according to ECOG PS at the initiation of pICI in real world data. Patient/material and methods: ICI has been recorded in the Swedish National Cancer Drug Registries since 2010. Palliative ICI treatment in the Southeastern region, Sweden, from 2010 until April 2025 were included. Survival probability and median overall survival (mOS) were calculated.

resultsA total of 1956 patients had received at least one pICI treatment, for lung cancer (n = 854), melanoma (n = 443), renal carcinoma (n = 218) and urothelial carcinoma (n = 127). PS 2 or higher was reported in 28.9% and 80.6% received ICI only (no chemotherapy). mOS was in PS 0-1 patients 23.4 months, in PS 2 patients 9.6 months and in PS 3 patients 3.8 months. Death within 90 days occurred in 45.7% of PS 3 patients.

interpretationLess fit patients are commonly treated with pICI, and PS seems an important predictive factor for palliative ICI regardless of cancer subtype. In our data, mOS is particularly short in PS 3 patients, suggesting to refrain from treatment. mOS is shorter in PS 2 patients than in PS 0-1, warranting individual considerations in treatment decisions. Better tools to guide treatment decisions for PS 2 patients are desirable.

Indexed as

Immune Checkpoint InhibitorsNeoplasmsPalliative CareAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesSurvival RateSwedenImmune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID42397290
PMCPMC13343466

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.