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Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group |
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Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group |
Cochrane Colloquia:
16th Cochrane Colloquium, Freiburg, Germany
If you wish to attend the above, please contact Clare Jess or Gail Quinn or register
The working Group continues to make progress on this and will shortly have a meeting, after which a statement will be issued. If you wish to carry out a review of diagnostic tests you are advised to wait for this statement.
Publication Arbiter
A “Publication Arbiter”, David Henderson-Smart has been appointed by the Collaboration Steering Group to try to help resolve problems that arise between the editorial teams of CRGs and reviewers in relation to the publication of Cochrane reviews, or between different Collaborative Review Groups in relation to the overlap of reviews between CRGs.
Cochrane Style Guide
In an effort to achieve uniformity of style and consistency in the various documents produced by the Cochrane Collaboration, a Style Guide has been prepared to build on and replace the Style Guidelines for Cochrane reviews found in Review Manager 4.2. It is a living document that will evolve with the needs of The Cochrane Collaboration and with your feedback. We will be using the Style Guide to copy-edit your protocols and reviews, so you may like to view it on this website:
http://www.cochrane.org/style/home.htm
Open Learning Material for Reviewers
Self-directed learning material for Cochrane reviewers has recently been developed by members of the Australasian and UK Cochrane Centres, with input from the Statistics Methods Group. It is designed to accompany the Cochrane Handbook for Reviewers and has been approved by the Handbook Advisory Group. Version 1.1 of the Cochrane Collaboration Open Learning Material for Reviewers is now available on the web at:
http://www.cochrane-net.org/openlearning/
The Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group has been awarded a 3 year NHS Cochrane Collaboration Programme Grant which will help support authors preparing systematic reviews on topics of high priority to NHS patients.
Background
When the major gynaecological cancer sites are combined they have the second highest incidence of any female cancer in the UK (17,413 cases in 2003, UKCR figures) behind breast cancer and ahead of colorectal and lung cancer. Mortality from gynaecological cancer in the UK (7661 deaths in 2004, UKCR figures) is only lower than lung and breast cancer. The NHS has made major improvements in gynaecological cancer care and it is one of the most integrated and multidisciplinary areas in medicine with an active Improving Outcome Guidance (IOG) programme. This is important as there are seven tumour sites with multiple complex care pathways. The Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group is a highly collaborative multidisciplinary group with a good track record in developing teams to prepare reviews. The most active UK members of the group form the core of this award scheme and have strong links to all the major national professional and consumer organisations involved in gynaecological cancer.
The aim is to improve patient care by preparing systematic reviews, which will inform national guidelines and local protocols.
Current Gynaecological Cancer protocols vary from Network to Network in the NHS. Topics for potential reviews will be developed by identifying areas where evidence is weak or missing. These topics will be identified and prioritised by Cancer Networks, BGCS, BSCCP, RCOG, NFGON, Ovacome, Jo’s Trust, NICE, CRD, NCRI and NHS programme Directors. These partners will form an Advisory Group of Stakeholders.
Criteria for prioritisation will be:
1) Improving patient outcomes
2) Importance to NHS priorities
3) Achievability and resources required
4) Impact on efficacy and efficiency
5) Timeliness.
The programme will be actively seeking to identify UK trainees in all aspects of gynaecological cancer care who are keen to conduct a systematic review. Support will then be given throughout the preparation and publication of such a review.
These reviewers will be formally attached to one of the clinical applicants, with whom they will jointly prepare a timetable for review completion, with milestones for protocol, searches, data abstraction and statistical analysis. The management team will regularly monitor and support the progress of each review. All reviewers will receive mentoring (by telephone, email and face-to-face meetings) from their experienced clinical reviewer and methodological experts, whom they will be encouraged to visit to progress the review.
The programme has two methodologists to provide expert technical support to clinical reviewers.
Support for authors is also available from the editorial base who will maintain communication between the Group’s editors and the authors, managing the process of statistical, methodological and external peer review.
Reviews produced in this programme will be translated by BGCS and Network site specialist groups into guidelines and protocols respectively. These protocols will be audited for compliance, by Networks and Trusts, in order to improve care.
If you have a suitable topic of interest and are keen to prepare an NHS Cochrane Collaboration Programme Grant systematic review please contact Gail Quinn (gail.quinn@ruh-bath.swest.nhs.uk) at the CGCRG in Bath.
Acronyms and abbreviations referred to:
British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS)
British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (BSCCP)
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD)
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
United Kingdom Cancer Research (UKCR)
National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)
National Forum of Gynaecological Oncology Nurses (NFGON)
National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)
