Prognostic markers in cancer: the evolution of evidence from single studies to meta-analysis, and beyond.

摘要: In oncology, prognostic markers are clinical measures used to help elicit an individual patient's risk of a future outcome, such as recurrence disease after primary treatment. They thus facilitate treatment choice and aid in patient counselling. Evidence-based results regarding therefore very important both clinicians their patients. However, there is increasing awareness that marker studies have been neglected the drive improve medical research. Large protocol-driven, prospective ideal, with appropriate statistical analysis clear, unbiased reporting methods obtained. Unfortunately, published rarely meet standards, systematic reviews meta-analyses often only able draw attention paucity good-quality evidence. We discuss how better-quality evidence can evolve over time from initial exploratory studies, large protocol-driven then meta-analysis or even beyond, prospectively planned pooled analyses initiation tumour banks. highlight articles each stage this process, promote current guidelines aimed at improving design, analysis, also outline why collaborative, multi-centre, multi-disciplinary teams should be essential part studies.