Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42684532›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2026

Exploring disparities in adherence to colorectal cancer clinical practice guidelines and associated survival outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Gobi Hariyanayagam Gunasekaran, Baharudin Ibrahim, Fahad Saleem, Fatiha Hana Shabaruddin

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Gobi Hariyanayagam GunasekaranDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2082-9284
Baharudin IbrahimDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8534-2517
Fahad SaleemDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8100-8992
Fatiha Hana ShabaruddinDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. fatiha.shabaruddin@um.edu.my.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8153-073X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeColorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health burden, where adherence to evidence-based guidelines is critical for improving patient outcomes. This systematic review aimed at synthesising the effects of structural and systemic barriers on CRC clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) recommendations, adherence, and treatment outcomes, drawing on real-world evidence.

methodsThis systematic review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024621251). Literature was searched in Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane from inception to 26 May 2026. Eligible studies included cohort and observational studies comparing CRC patients managed according to CPG adherence versus non-adherence recommendations. Primary outcomes were adherence rates and overall survival. Pooled analyses were conducted using a random-effects model.

resultsOf 4,262 initially identified citations, 95 met the inclusion criteria, and 30 were included in the meta-analysis. Adherence shows heterogeneous, tumour-stage-specific associations with survival, though effects varied by tumour site, disease stage, and treatment modality. Non-adherence was more common among patients of advancing age and those facing structural disadvantage, including socioeconomic strata, non-white ethnicity, and treatment in non-accredited facilities. Across all tumour sites, adherence to CPGs was associated with a non-significant survival benefit [Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI = 0.67-1.20; heterogeneity I

conclusionDisparities in guideline adherence reflect structural and systemic disparities in cancer care delivery. These findings underscore the need to address barriers that contribute to non-adherence, particularly among identified high-risk populations and within the health-care system, to support more equitable guideline-adherent care.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsGuideline AdherenceHealthcare DisparitiesPractice Guidelines as TopicHumansNeoplasm StagingAdherenceClinical practice guidelineColon cancerColorectal cancerRectal cancerSystematic literature review

Identifiers

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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.