TY - JOUR AU - Buffart, Laurien M. AU - Kalter, Joeri AU - Chinapaw, Mai JM AU - Heymans, Martijn W. AU - Aaronson, Neil K. AU - Courneya, Kerry S. AU - Jacobsen, Paul B. AU - Newton, Robert U. AU - Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M. AU - Brug, Johannes PY - 2013 DA - 2013/09/13 TI - Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS): rationale and design for meta-analyses of individual patient data of randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effect of physical activity and psychosocial interventions on health-related quality of life in cancer survivors JO - Systematic Reviews SP - 75 VL - 2 IS - 1 AB - Effective interventions to improve quality of life of cancer survivors are essential. Numerous randomized controlled trials have evaluated the effects of physical activity or psychosocial interventions on health-related quality of life of cancer survivors, with generally small sample sizes and modest effects. Better targeted interventions may result in larger effects. To realize such targeted interventions, we must determine which interventions that are presently available work for which patients, and what the underlying mechanisms are (that is, the moderators and mediators of physical activity and psychosocial interventions). Individual patient data meta-analysis has been described as the ‘gold standard’ of systematic review methodology. Instead of extracting aggregate data from study reports or from authors, the original research data are sought directly from the investigators. Individual patient data meta-analyses allow for adequate statistical analysis of intervention effects and moderators of such effects. SN - 2046-4053 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-2-75 DO - 10.1186/2046-4053-2-75 ID - Buffart2013 ER -