Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33306189›Full record

SynthesisAdvances in therapy2021

Identifying Novel Biomarkers Ready for Evaluation in Low-Prevalence Populations for the Early Detection of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Review.

Natalia Calanzani, Paige E Druce, Claudia Snudden, Kristi M Milley, Rachel Boscott, Dawnya Behiyat, Smiji Saji, Javiera Martinez-Gutierrez, Jasmeen Oberoi, Garth Funston and 3 more

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

Synthesis in Advances in therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Improving early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2023
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. 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

13 authors.

Natalia CalanzaniThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. nm719@medschl.cam.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5068-2543
Paige E DruceCentre for Cancer Research and Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Claudia SnuddenThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Kristi M MilleyCentre for Cancer Research and Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Rachel BoscottThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Dawnya BehiyatThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Smiji SajiThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Javiera Martinez-GutierrezCentre for Cancer Research and Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Jasmeen OberoiCentre for Cancer Research and Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Garth FunstonThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Mike MessengerLeeds Centre for Personalised Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Jon EmeryThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Fiona M WalterThe Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Funding

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) C8640/A23385
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDetecting upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers in primary care is challenging, as cancer symptoms are common, often non-specific, and most patients presenting with these symptoms will not have cancer. Substantial investment has been made to develop biomarkers for cancer detection, but few have reached routine clinical practice. We aimed to identify novel biomarkers for upper GI cancers which have been sufficiently validated to be ready for evaluation in low-prevalence populations.

methodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, and Web of Science for studies published in English from January 2000 to October 2019 (PROSPERO registration CRD42020165005). Reference lists of included studies were assessed. Studies had to report on second measures of diagnostic performance (beyond discovery phase) for biomarkers (single or in panels) used to detect pancreatic, oesophageal, gastric, and biliary tract cancers. We included all designs and excluded studies with less than 50 cases/controls. Data were extracted on types of biomarkers, populations and outcomes. Heterogeneity prevented pooling of outcomes.

resultsWe identified 149 eligible studies, involving 22,264 cancer cases and 49,474 controls. A total of 431 biomarkers were identified (183 microRNAs and other RNAs, 79 autoantibodies and other immunological markers, 119 other proteins, 36 metabolic markers, 6 circulating tumour DNA and 8 other). Over half (n = 231) were reported in pancreatic cancer studies. Only 35 biomarkers had been investigated in at least two studies, with reported outcomes for that individual marker for the same tumour type. Apolipoproteins (apoAII-AT and apoAII-ATQ), and pepsinogens (PGI and PGII) were the most promising biomarkers for pancreatic and gastric cancer, respectively.

conclusionMost novel biomarkers for the early detection of upper GI cancers are still at an early stage of matureness. Further evidence is needed on biomarker performance in low-prevalence populations, in addition to implementation and health economic studies, before extensive adoption into clinical practice can be recommended.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal NeoplasmsPancreatic NeoplasmsBiomarkersEarly Detection of CancerHumansPrevalenceBiomarkersBiomarkersClinical practiceEarly detectionPrimary careUpper gastrointestinal cancers

Identifiers

PMID33306189
PMCPMC7889689

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.