Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31639128›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2019

Systematic review and REMARK scoring of renal cell carcinoma prognostic circulating biomarker manuscripts.

Marco A J Iafolla, Sarah Picardo, Kyaw Aung, Aaron R Hansen

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 5 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Observational
  7. Review
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.

Marco A J IafollaDivision of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2569-3275
Sarah PicardoDivision of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kyaw AungDivision of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Aaron R HansenDivision of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNo validated molecular biomarkers exist to help guide prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. We seek to evaluate the quality of published prognostic circulating RCC biomarker manuscripts using the Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies (REMARK) guidelines.

methodsThe phrase "(renal cell carcinoma OR renal cancer OR kidney cancer OR kidney carcinoma) AND circulating AND (biomarkers OR cell free DNA OR tumor DNA OR methylated cell free DNA OR methylated tumor DNA)" was searched in Embase, Medline and PubMed March 2018. Relevant manuscripts were scored using 48 REMARK sub-criteria for a maximal score of 20 points.

resultsThe search identified 535 publications: 33 were manuscripts of primary research and were analyzed. The mean REMARK score was 10.6 (range 6.42-14.2). All manuscripts stated their biomarker, study objectives and method of case selection. The lowest scoring criteria: time lapse between storage of blood/serum and marker assay (n = 2) and lack of flow diagram (n = 2). REMARK scores were significantly higher in publications stating adherence to REMARK guidelines (p = 0.0307) and reporting statistically significant results (p = 0.0318).

conclusionsMost RCC prognostic biomarker manuscripts poorly adhere to the REMARK guidelines. Better designed studies and appropriate reporting are required to address this urgent unmet need.

Indexed as

PrognosisBiomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, Renal CellDNA MethylationHumansBiomarkers, Tumor

Identifiers

PMID31639128
PMCPMC6804962

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.