Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Identification of defined patient groups based on a prognostic index may improve the prediction of survival and selection of therapy. Many prognostic factors have been identified often based on retrospective, underpowered studies with...

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Autors principals: Stocken, D, Hassan, A, Altman, D, Billingham, L, Bramhall, SR, Johnson, P, Freemantle, N
Format: Journal article
Idioma:English
Publicat: 2008
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author Stocken, D
Hassan, A
Altman, D
Billingham, L
Bramhall, SR
Johnson, P
Freemantle, N
author_facet Stocken, D
Hassan, A
Altman, D
Billingham, L
Bramhall, SR
Johnson, P
Freemantle, N
author_sort Stocken, D
collection OXFORD
description Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Identification of defined patient groups based on a prognostic index may improve the prediction of survival and selection of therapy. Many prognostic factors have been identified often based on retrospective, underpowered studies with unclear analyses. Data from 653 patients were analysed. Continuous variables are often simplified assuming a linear relationship with log hazard or introducing a step function (dichotomising). Misspecification may lead to inappropriate conclusions but has not been previously investigated in pancreatic cancer studies. Models based on standard assumptions were compared with a novel approach using nonlinear fractional polynomial (FP) transformations. The model based on FP-transformed covariates was most appropriate and confirmed five previously reported prognostic factors: albumin, CA 19-9, alkaline phosphatase, LDH and metastases, and identified three additional factors not previously reported: WBC, AST and BUN. The effects of CA 19-9, alkaline phosphatase, AST and BUN may go unrecognised due to simplistic assumptions made in statistical modelling. We advocate a multivariable approach that uses information contained within continuous variables appropriately. The functional form of the relationship between continuous covariates and survival should always be assessed. Our model should aid individual patient risk stratification and the design and analysis of future trials in pancreatic cancer.
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spelling oxford-uuid:b31d2570-c331-4f2e-8bf9-77a6bac05dc42022-03-27T04:16:45ZModelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b31d2570-c331-4f2e-8bf9-77a6bac05dc4EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2008Stocken, DHassan, AAltman, DBillingham, LBramhall, SRJohnson, PFreemantle, NPancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Identification of defined patient groups based on a prognostic index may improve the prediction of survival and selection of therapy. Many prognostic factors have been identified often based on retrospective, underpowered studies with unclear analyses. Data from 653 patients were analysed. Continuous variables are often simplified assuming a linear relationship with log hazard or introducing a step function (dichotomising). Misspecification may lead to inappropriate conclusions but has not been previously investigated in pancreatic cancer studies. Models based on standard assumptions were compared with a novel approach using nonlinear fractional polynomial (FP) transformations. The model based on FP-transformed covariates was most appropriate and confirmed five previously reported prognostic factors: albumin, CA 19-9, alkaline phosphatase, LDH and metastases, and identified three additional factors not previously reported: WBC, AST and BUN. The effects of CA 19-9, alkaline phosphatase, AST and BUN may go unrecognised due to simplistic assumptions made in statistical modelling. We advocate a multivariable approach that uses information contained within continuous variables appropriately. The functional form of the relationship between continuous covariates and survival should always be assessed. Our model should aid individual patient risk stratification and the design and analysis of future trials in pancreatic cancer.
spellingShingle Stocken, D
Hassan, A
Altman, D
Billingham, L
Bramhall, SR
Johnson, P
Freemantle, N
Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title_full Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title_fullStr Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title_full_unstemmed Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title_short Modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer.
title_sort modelling prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer
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