Cancer World Magazine
  • About the Magazine
    • Editorial Team
    • Leadership and Management
    • Events
    • Magazine
    • Archive
    • Contacts
  • Articles
    • Policy
    • Practice Points
    • Delivery of Care
    • Biology basic
    • Medicine
    • Featured
  • Contents
    • News
    • Editorials
    • Interviews to the Expert
    • In the Hot Seat
    • Profiles
    • Obituaries
    • Voices
    • Partnership
    • Supported contents
  • Media Corner
    • Journalist Cancer Guide
    • Cancer Journalism Award
    • Cancer Journalist Grant
NEWSLETTER  |  PRINT VERSION
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Cancer World Magazine
Cancer World Magazine
  • About the Magazine
    • Editorial Team
    • Leadership and Management
    • Events
    • Magazine
    • Archive
    • Contacts
  • Articles
    • Policy
    • Practice Points
    • Delivery of Care
    • Biology basic
    • Medicine
    • Featured
  • Contents
    • News
    • Editorials
    • Interviews to the Expert
    • In the Hot Seat
    • Profiles
    • Obituaries
    • Voices
    • Partnership
    • Supported contents
  • Media Corner
    • Journalist Cancer Guide
    • Cancer Journalism Award
    • Cancer Journalist Grant
Cancer World Magazine > News > The misuse of “noninferiority” in presenting trials is often misleading
  • News

The misuse of “noninferiority” in presenting trials is often misleading

  • 11 May 2020
  • Elena Riboldi
The misuse of “noninferiority” in presenting trials is often misleading
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
0
0
When researchers have the opportunity to present their trials at medical meetings, they tend to use not-negative conclusions to discuss formally negative results. A research published in JAMA Oncology by a group of Italian oncologists from the University of Turin and the National Cancer Institute – “Fondazione G. Pascale”, Naples, shows that one third of oral presentations about phase 3 trials that failed to demonstrate the efficacy of an experimental treatment had not-negative conclusions. Of note, those abstracts were presented at two of the most important international oncology meetings, the ASCO and the ESMO annual meetings. “We believe that more attention should be paid to the statements included in the conclusions of oral presentations at meetings, and the discussants’ role is crucial. When the primary end point is not met, the word negative should be explicitly used”, Massimo Di Maio and Francesco Perrone, supervisors of the study, wrote. Meetings are a privileged occasion to reach not only the scientific community, but also the general public, through the lay press and the media, and the risk of sending out messages that are not completely justified by data is real. Authors selected 208 oral communications about phase 3 clinical studies presented at the ASCO and the ESMO annual meetings in the past three years. They identified 91 negative trials, i.e. studies where the primary endpoint of efficacy was not met. Conclusions were considered to be not-negative when, more or less explicitly, authors consider the possibility of using the experimental treatment in that setting, without making clear statements about the study negativity. Of the 91 negative studies, 26 (29%) had a not-negative conclusion. The proportion of negative studies with not-negative conclusions was 22% in 2017, 13% in 2018, and 47% in 2019. Interestingly, the proportion was similar in nonprofit and for-profit studies (30% and 26%, respectively). In 7 cases (27%), authors interpreted post hoc the study as a noninferiority design. “When a trial is designed to test the superiority of an experimental treatment, post hoc interpretation of noninferiority is methodologically debatable” the authors remarked. “The noninferiority hypothesis should be prospectively planned, with a clear definition of the margin acceptable to define noninferiority.”
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • clinical trials
  • noninferiority
  • not negative
  • oral presentations
  • resultsù
Avatar
Elena Riboldi

Previous Article
  • Voices

Delivering cancer care during the pandemic in Europe’s most overstretched health system

  • 10 May 2020
  • Geta Roman
View Post
Next Article
  • News

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may shield from COVID-19

  • 18 May 2020
  • Elena Riboldi
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • News

Study brings mass biparametric MRI screening for prostate cancer a step closer

  • Janet Fricker
  • 23 February 2021
View Post
  • News

Oncology providers urged to offer healthy life style advice to breast cancer survivors

  • Janet Fricker
  • 19 February 2021
View Post
  • News

Studies provide clarity on breast cancer genes for genetic panels

  • Janet Fricker
  • 9 February 2021
View Post
  • News

EC publishes route map for tackling cancer

  • Janet Fricker
  • 5 February 2021
View Post
  • News

Therapy targeting androgen receptors opens new chapter for hormone driven breast cancers

  • Janet Fricker
  • 27 January 2021
View Post
  • News

Coffee may protect against prostate cancer

  • Janet Fricker
  • 20 January 2021
View Post
  • News

Financial burden on older adults with advanced cancer worsens quality of life

  • Janet Fricker
  • 15 January 2021
View Post
  • News

Integrated imaging opens the way for virtual biopsies

  • Janet Fricker
  • 15 January 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

search
or search in Cancer World archive
Latest news
  • Study brings mass biparametric MRI screening for prostate cancer a step closer
    • 23 February 2021
  • Oncology providers urged to offer healthy life style advice to breast cancer survivors
    • 19 February 2021
  • Studies provide clarity on breast cancer genes for genetic panels
    • 9 February 2021
  • EC publishes route map for tackling cancer
    • 5 February 2021
  • Therapy targeting androgen receptors opens new chapter for hormone driven breast cancers
    • 27 January 2021
Latest printed issue
Article
  • Natural killers: a new tactical unit joins the cancer immunotherapy brigade
    • 25 February 2021
  • Immunotherapy toxicities demand a joined up approach from oncologists and organ specialists
    • 24 February 2021
  • Beating cancer is complex – our messaging must be clear
    • 11 February 2021
Newsletter

Don't miss our newsletter

Would you like to receive our bimonthly e-newsletter with the latest news from Cancer World magazine?

Subscribe now
Social

Would you follow us ?

Contents
  • Moving towards efficiency in cancer care: Examples
    • 8 February 2021
  • World Cancer Day: we commemorate Professor Agim Sallaku
    • 3 February 2021
  • Gordon McVie 1945–2021: a lifetime dedicated to defeating cancer
    • 22 January 2021
MENU
  • About the Magazine
    • Editorial Team
    • Leadership and Management
    • Events
    • Magazine
    • Archive
    • Contacts
  • Articles
    • Policy
    • Practice Points
    • Delivery of Care
    • Biology basic
    • Medicine
    • Featured
  • Contents
    • News
    • Editorials
    • Interviews to the Expert
    • In the Hot Seat
    • Profiles
    • Obituaries
    • Voices
    • Partnership
    • Supported contents
  • Media Corner
    • Journalist Cancer Guide
    • Cancer Journalism Award
    • Cancer Journalist Grant
Cancer World Magazine
  • About the Magazine
  • Articles
  • Media Corner
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Cancer World is managed by SPCC Sharing Progress in Cancer Care | Piazza Indipendenza 2, 6500 Bellinzona - Switzerland | info@spcc.net

Archivio Cancerworld

Input your search keywords and press Enter.