JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
-
Comment Meta Analysis
Survival Benefit Associated With Participation in Clinical Trials of Anticancer Drugs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Many cancer clinical investigators view clinical trials as offering better care for patients than routine clinical care. However, definitive evidence of clinical benefit from trial participation (hereafter referred to as the participation effect) has yet to emerge. ⋯ Many studies suggest a survival benefit for cancer trial participants. However, these benefits were not detected in studies using designs addressing important sources of bias and confounding. Pooled results of high-quality studies are not consistent with a beneficial effect of trial participation on its own.