Main description:

This book introduces and discusses the most important aspects of clinical research methods and biostatistics for oncologists, pursuing a tailor-made and practical approach. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been in vogue in the last few decades, particularly in rapidly advancing fields such as oncology. This approach has been used to support decision-making processes worldwide, sparking new clinical research and guidelines on clinical and surgical oncology. Clinical oncology research has many peculiarities, including specific study endpoints, a special focus on survival analyses, and a unique perspective on EBM. However, during medical studies and in general practice, these topics are barely taught. Moreover, even when EBM and clinical cancer research are discussed, they are presented in a theoretical fashion, mostly focused on formulas and numbers, rather than on clinical application for a proper literature appraisal. Addressing that gap, this book discusses more practical aspects of clinical research and biostatistics in oncology, instead of relying only on mathematical formulas and theoretical considerations. Methods and Biostatistics in Oncology will help readers develop the skills they need to understand the use of research on everyday oncology clinical practice for study design and interpretation, as well to demystify the use of EBM in oncology.

Contents:

PrefaceAuthor: Mithat Goenen - chief of biostatistics department of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center - NY - USA.
Background of scientific method in oncology
Author: Vinicius Vazquez - Surgical oncologist - Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Writing a hypothesis for a oncology studyAuthor: Felipe Fregni, Harvard Medical School
Type of variables and distributionsAuthor: Gregory Pond, MacMaster, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Testing measures of associationAuthor: To be defined
Sample size calculation for oncology trialsAuthor: Ulrich Guller, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, 9007, St Gallen, Switzerland. ulrich.gueller@kssg.ch
Uni and multivariate analysis (understanding of regressions) in cancer researchAuthor: Marc Buyse, EORTC
Survival analyses in cancer trialsAuthor: Daniel Sargent, Mayo Clinic
The role of transversal and cohort studies in oncologyAuthor: To be defined
Design of retrospective and case-control studies in oncologyAuthor: To be defined
Minimizing differences by randomizationAuthor: To be defined
How to design phase I trials in oncologyAuthor: Lillian Siu, Princess Margert Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada ou Carlos Gil, INCA
The many different designs of phase II oncology trialsAuthor: Gilberto de Castro e Paulo Hoff?
Superiority and non-inferiority phase III oncology trialsAuthors: Everardo Saad, (affiliation TBD)
Phase IV oncology trials Author:
Analysis of graphs in clinical cancer researchAuthor: Raphael Araujo - Upper GI and HPB Surgery department; Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil
Identifying biases in clinical cancer researchAuthor: Rachel Riechelmann, Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo, Universidade de Sao Paulo
Ethics in clinical cancer researchAuthor: Rodrigo Guidalini
Cost-effectiveness studies in oncologyAuthor: Ian Tannock, Princess Margert Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
How to undertake outcomes research in oncologyAuthor: Christopher Booth, NCI Canada, Kingston, ON
Systematic review and meta-analysis of oncology studies
Author: Andre Sasse
Meta-research in oncologyAuthor: Everardo Saad
Analysis of quality of life and patient-reported outcomes in oncologyAuthor: Janette Vardy, University of Sidney, Australia
ExercisesCommented answers
Glossary