Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36408152›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2022

A population-based cohort study for presence of ulceration among cutaneous malignant melanoma subgroups of patients.

Xinrui Li, Zichao Li, Xiaowei Yi, Xianchun Gao, Zhe Yang, Xingning Huang, Sijie Ma, Tianyuan Ma, Ziyi Deng, Lei Shang and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.1field-weighted citation impact, top 52% of its field
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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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

11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Xinrui LiSchool of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Zichao LiDepartment of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Xiaowei YiWest China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xianchun GaoDepartment of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Zhe YangDepartment of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Xingning HuangCollege of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Sijie MaCollege of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Tianyuan MaCollege of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Ziyi DengCollege of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Lei ShangDepartment of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Zhe JianDepartment of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Air Force Medical University · CNNorthwest University · CNSichuan University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Observational studies suggest that ulceration is considered to be a negative prognostic factor for cutaneous melanoma. However, the impact of ulceration over different subgroups (e.g. AJCC Stage, thickness level) are controversial and its true causal effect on survival is lack of studies in the view of treating ulceration as an exposure. Objective: To explore the true causal effect of ulceration on melanoma's survival by adopting a combination of methods to discover proper adjustment set and confirming its correctness through a variety of means. Methods: A minimal sufficient adjustment set (MSAS) was found using directed acyclic graphs (DAG) to adjust the effect of causality. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to diagnose potential confounders in addition to MSAS. Cox models were built to analyze the causality in-depth and the model was validated using a novel method. Lastly, stratified effects of ulceration were examined to illustrate its impact within subgroups. Results: Hazard ratio (HR) of ulceration after adjustment by MSAS variables was 1.99 (95% CI=1.88-2.09). The sensitivity analysis of propensity score matching and E-value both demonstrated that variables other than MSAS do not have great influence on ulceration and MSS relationship. The HR of ulceration in AJCC Stage, thickness level, invasion level and tumor extension were all monotonically decreased from 5.76 to 1.57, 4.03 to 1.78, 2.75 to 1.78 and 2.65 to 1.71 respectively. Conclusion: Ulceration in all subgroups were shown to have a significantly negative impact on MSS and its magnitude of effect was monotonically decreased as the disease progressed. The true effect of ulceration can be adjusted by MSAS and its correctness was validated through a variety of approaches.

Indexed as

causal inferenceconfounding effectscutaneous malignant melanomadirected acyclic graphsensitivity analysisulceration

Identifiers

PMID36408152
PMCPMC9666370
OpenAlexW4308129169

What OpenQuestion holds

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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 OpenQuestion graph.