From: The quality of research synthesis in surgery: the case of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer
Review (origin) | Last update | Population/interventiona | Study types | Notes/limitations |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bernard/ANDEM, 1994 [16], (France) | July 1993 | Any colorectal pathology and other abdominal pathologies (appendicitis, biliary disease, reflux, inguinal hernia) | Case series; no RCT or observational study found | In French. Paucity of available comparative literature. Broad review addressing all laparoscopic techniques (biliary, hernia, etc.). |
Chapman/ASERNIP-S 2000 [17] (Australia) | July 1999 | Colon cancer (right, left/sigmoid) and animal studies of in vitro/in vivo tumor spread. Excluded: transverse colectomy, APR, total colectomy. | RCTs, observational animal studies | Limited to English. Inclusion/exclusion of high and mid rectal cancer is not clearly specified. Chose not to pool data. Overlap with Chapman 2001 [19]. |
Vardulaki/NICE 2000 [18], (UK) | 2000 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: case series of < 10 patients. | RCTs, observational | Extensive methodological description. Rigorous assessment of heterogeneity. Pooling of RCTs and observational data performed separately to avoid bias (for some outcomes). Statistical manipulations to overcome data limitations. |
Chapman 2001 [19], (Australia) | July 1999 | Colon cancer (right, left/sigmoid). Excluded: transverse colectomy, APR, total colectomy. | RCTs, observational | Limited to English. Inclusion/exclusion of high and mid rectal cancer is not clearly specified. Chose not to pool data. Overlap with Chapman 2000 [17]. |
Yong 2001 [20], (UK) | March 1997 | Any colorectal pathology (all operation types) | Observational; no RCT found | Modification of inclusion/exclusion criteria from protocol based on available studies. Only 13/42 studies had only malignant disease. Pooled certain outcomes by calculating weighted means. |
Korolija 2003 [21], (Croatia) | January 2000 | 'Colorectal procedures', unclear | RCTs, observational | No inclusion/exclusion criteria provided. Not mentioned whether RCTs included (two identified in reference list). Chose to pool outcomes from RCTs, observational studies, case series together (no mention of appropriateness). |
Abraham 2004 [22], (Australia) | December 2002 | Colorectal cancer (right hemicolectomy, left hemicolectomy, rectosigmoid resection, APR, others) | RCTs | Limited to English. Study selection on basis of reported outcomes. |
Reza/UETS 2004 [23], (Spain) | September 2004 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: combination of benign and malignant pathologies, immune outcomes. | RCTs, systematic reviews, meta-analyses | In Spanish. Pre-2000 RCTs not included. No pooling of outcomes except survival and recurrence (reason unclear). |
Poutignat/Haute Autorité de Santé 2005 [24], (France) | 2003 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: metastatic disease, combined benign and malignant pathologies, non-intention-to-treat studies or those excluding converted patients. | RCTs, observational, meta-analysis | In French, limited to English and French. Unclear from text whether inclusion/exclusion criteria chosen a priori or after literature search by group of experts. Chose not to pool outcomes, qualitative analysis. |
Manterola 2005 [25], (Chile) | December 2002 | Colon cancer (right, transverse, left, sigmoid). Excluded: rectal cancer, perforated or obstructing cancer, metastasis, recurrent cancer, invasion into adjacent bowel/organs, polyps. | RCTs, observational | In Spanish, limited to English, Spanish, French, Italian. Methodology score created by review authors. Controlled series and RCTs broken down into individual case series yielding 6 laparoscopy and 11 open series in total. |
Schwenk 2005 [26], (Germany) | January 2005 | Colorectal pathologies (benign or malignant, for curative or palliative resection) | RCTs | Cochrane Review, protocol published in 2001. Extensive methodological description. Results for different pathologies pooled together. |
Aziz 2006 [27], (UK) | 2004 | Rectal cancer (described as anterior resection or APR) | RCTs, observational | Extensive quantitative assessment of heterogeneity. Results for RCTs and observational studies pooled (no sensitivity analysis comparing RCT to observational data). |
Tjandra 2006 [28], (Australia) | September 2005 | Colon and rectosigmoid cancer. Excluded: rectal cancer, distant metastases. | RCTs | Limited to English. Effect of heterogeneity on results not clear/not documented. |
Reza 2006 [29], (Spain) | November 2005 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: papers with mixed malignant/benign populations, immune function as outcome. | RCTs, systematic reviews | Pre-2000 RCTs not included. Limited description of methodology. No pooling of outcomes except survival and recurrence (reason unclear). |
Breukink 2006 [30], (The Netherlands) | August 2006 | Rectal cancer (undergoing total mesorectal excision) | RCTs, observational | Cochrane Review, protocol published in 2005. Primary outcome: disease-free survival. Chose not to pool survival data; qualitative analysis. |
Gao 2006 [31], (China) | June 2005 | Rectal cancer | RCTs, observational | Outcomes considered were selected post hoc after reviewing selected literature. Meta-analysis of RCT and observational data. Incomplete assessment of heterogeneity. |
Murray 2006 [10], (UK) | May 2005 | Colorectal cancer (including laparoscopic or HALS, excluding palliative surgery) | RCTs, IPD meta-analyses | HTA report (commissioned), protocol published in 2005. Pre-2000 RCTs identified from existing systematic reviews. Extensive description of methodology, rigorous assessment of heterogeneity. Academic-in-confidence data obtained from other authors removed from final report. Includes economic evaluation. |
Kahnamoui 2007 [32], (Canada) | 2004 | Colorectal cancer (right, left, sigmoid, anterior resection, APR) | RCTs | Defined primary outcome: cancer-related mortality. Extensive methodological description. Quality appraisal list designed by authors. |
Noel 2007 [33], (USA) | January 2005 | Colorectal cancer, IBD, diverticular disease | RCTs, observational (controlled) | Limited to English. Excluded historical controls with < 50% overlap in accrual periods. Combination of RCT and non-RCT data. No assessment of methodological quality. |
Bonjer 2007 [34], (The Netherlands) | 2006 | Colon cancer (rectal cancer included in at least one of trials) | RCTs | Minimum 150 patients with primary outcomes of survival. Authors of review are primary investigators in four included trials. Meta-analysis of individual patient data with 3 years of follow-up data. |
Jackson 2007 [35], (USA) | February 2006 | Colorectal cancer (colon and rectosigmoid as per inclusion criteria, but selected RCTs include rectal cancers). Excluded: benign pathologies. | RCTs | Primary outcome: survival and recurrence. Inclusion/exclusion of mid and low rectal cancer is not clearly specified. Meta-analysis of survival outcomes using time-to-event data. Significant assessment of heterogeneity. |
Abraham 2007 [36], (Australia) | December 2003 | Colorectal cancer (non-metastatic, treated with intention to cure). Excluded: uncontrolled series. | Observational | Limited to English. Limited to end of 2003. Quality assessment of papers performed but not utilized in analysis (to be reported separately). Limited assessment of heterogeneity. |
Kuhry 2007 [37], (Norway) | April 2006 | Colorectal cancer | RCTs | In Norwegian, limited to English. Very limited methodological description. |
Kuhry 2008 [38], (Norway) | January 2008 | Colorectal cancer (reporting long-term result, non-metastasized carcinoma) | RCTs | Cochrane review, protocol published 2002. Meta-analysis of survival outcomes using time-to-event data. Sensitivity analyses performed separately for colon and rectum. |
Lourenco 2008 [39], (UK) | May 2007 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: patients undergoing palliative treatment. | RCTs, IPD meta-analyses | Pre-2000 RCTs identified from existing systematic reviews. Extensive description of methodology. Overlap with Murray 2006 [10]. |
Anderson 2008 [40], (USA) | November 2007 | Rectal cancer. Excluded: tumors invading adjacent organs, previous pelvic surgery, contraindications to pneumoperitoneum, obstruction, perforation, studies which did not report rectal cancer outcomes separately. | RCTs, observational | Limited to English language. RCT and observational studies pooled together. |
Liang 2008 [41], (China) | January 2007 | Colorectal cancer. Excluded: emergency surgery (obstruction, perforation), known prohibitive adhesions, studies for which colorectal cancer patients could not be analyzed separately from patients with benign pathologies. | RCTs | Limited to English. Extensive assessment of heterogeneity. |