Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31221871›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2019

Predictors of an early death in patients diagnosed with colon cancer: a retrospective case-control study in the UK.

Conan Donnelly, Nigel Hart, Alan David McCrorie, Michael Donnelly, Lesley Anderson, Lisa Ranaghan, Anna Gavin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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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.

Conan DonnellyUniversity of Cork, National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland.
Nigel HartSchool of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Alan David McCrorieCentre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-7422-2154
Michael DonnellyCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Lesley AndersonCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Lisa RanaghanBelfast City Hospital, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK.
Anna GavinN Ireland Cancer Registry, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.

Funding

Cancer Research UKMedical Research Council MR/K023241/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDespite considerable improvements, 5-year survival rates for colon cancer in the UK remain poor when compared with other socioeconomically similar countries. Variation in 5-year survival can be partly explained by higher rates of death within 3 months of diagnosis in the UK. This study investigated the characteristics of patients who died within 3 months of a diagnosis of colon cancer with the aim of identifying specific patient factors that can be addressed or accounted for to improve survival outcomes.

designA retrospective case-control study design was applied with matching on age, sex and year diagnosed. Patient, disease, clinical and service characteristics of patients diagnosed with colon cancer in a UK region (2005-2010) who survived less than 3 months from diagnosis (cases) were compared with patients who survived between 6 and 36 months (controls). Patient and clinical data were sourced from general practice notes and hospital databases 1-3 years prediagnosis.

resultsBeing older (aged ≥78 years) and living in deprivation quintile 5 (OR=2.64, 95% CI 1.15 to 6.06), being unmarried and living alone (OR=1.64, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.50), being underweight compared with normal weight or obese (OR=3.99, 95% CI 1.14 to 14.0), and being older and living in a rural as opposed to urban area (OR=1.96, 95% CI 1.21 to 3.17) were all independent predictors of early death from colon cancer. Missing information was also associated with early death, including unknown stage, histological type and marital/accommodation status after accounting for other factors.

conclusionSeveral factors typically associated with social isolation were a recurring theme in patients who died early from colon cancer. This association is unexplained by clinical or diagnostic pathway characteristics. Socially isolated patients are a key target group to improve outcomes of the worst surviving patients, but further investigation is required to determine if being isolated itself is actually a cause of early death from colon cancer.

Indexed as

Social IsolationAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsCase-Control StudiesColonic NeoplasmsFemaleHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMarriageMiddle AgedMultivariate AnalysisRisk FactorsRural PopulationSurvival Ratecolorectal surgeryepidemiologygastrointestinal tumours

Identifiers

PMID31221871
PMCPMC6588982

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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.