Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations

Sarah J Lewis; Mike Gardner; Julian Higgins; Jeff M P Holly; Tom R Gaunt; Claire M Perks; Suzanne D Turner; Sabina Rinaldi; Steve Thomas; Sean Harrison; Rosie J Lennon; Vanessa Tan; Cath Borwick; Pauline Emmett; Mona Jeffreys; Kate Northstone; Giota Mitrou; Martin Wiseman; Rachel Thompson; Richard M Martin

doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232

Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations

Sarah J Lewis, Mike Gardner, Julian Higgins, Jeff M P Holly, Tom R Gaunt, Claire M Perks, Suzanne D Turner, Sabina Rinaldi, Steve Thomas, Sean Harrison, Rosie J Lennon, Vanessa Tan, Cath Borwick, Pauline Emmett, Mona Jeffreys, Kate Northstone, Giota Mitrou, Martin Wiseman, Rachel Thompson, Richard M Martin

Applied Health Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Human, animal, and cell experimental studies; human biomarker studies; and genetic studies complement epidemiologic findings and can offer insights into biological plausibility and pathways between exposure and disease, but methods for synthesizing such studies are lacking. We, therefore, developed a methodology for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies that underpin exposure-cancer associations.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team with expertise in informatics, statistics, epidemiology, systematic reviews, cancer biology, and nutrition was assembled. Five 1-day workshops were held to brainstorm ideas; in the intervening periods we carried out searches and applied our methods to a case study to test our ideas.

Results: We have developed a two-stage framework, the first stage of which is designed to identify mechanisms underpinning a specific exposure-disease relationship; the second stage is a targeted systematic review of studies on a specific mechanism. As part of the methodology, we also developed an online tool for text mining for mechanism prioritization (TeMMPo) and a new graph for displaying related but heterogeneous data from epidemiologic studies (the Albatross plot).

Conclusions: We have developed novel tools for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies of exposure-disease relationships. In doing so, we have outlined how we have overcome the challenges that we faced and provided researchers with practical guides for conducting mechanistic systematic reviews.

Impact: The aforementioned methodology and tools will allow potential mechanisms to be identified and the strength of the evidence underlying a particular mechanism to be assessed. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(11); 1667-75. ©2017 AACR.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1667-1675
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Volume	26
Issue number	11
Early online date	4 Oct 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232
Publication status	Published - Nov 2017

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Biomedical Research/methods
Data Mining/methods
Evidence-Based Medicine/methods
Humans
Intersectoral Collaboration
Neoplasms/diagnosis
Research Design

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/developing-the-wcrf-internationaluniversity-of-bristol-methodology-for-identifying-and-carrying-out-systematic-reviews-of-mechanisms-of-exposurecancer-associations(f26a1cbb-d7ff-4534-b5d7-37acc8f3c513).htmlLicence: None: All rights reserved

Cite this

Lewis, S. J., Gardner, M., Higgins, J., Holly, J. M. P., Gaunt, T. R., Perks, C. M., Turner, S. D., Rinaldi, S., Thomas, S., Harrison, S., Lennon, R. J., Tan, V., Borwick, C., Emmett, P., Jeffreys, M., Northstone, K., Mitrou, G., Wiseman, M., Thompson, R., & Martin, R. M. (2017). Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 26(11), 1667-1675. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232

@article{fa2160cefcca419f9f030773ef8c52c5,

title = "Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations",

abstract = "Background: Human, animal, and cell experimental studies; human biomarker studies; and genetic studies complement epidemiologic findings and can offer insights into biological plausibility and pathways between exposure and disease, but methods for synthesizing such studies are lacking. We, therefore, developed a methodology for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies that underpin exposure-cancer associations.Methods: A multidisciplinary team with expertise in informatics, statistics, epidemiology, systematic reviews, cancer biology, and nutrition was assembled. Five 1-day workshops were held to brainstorm ideas; in the intervening periods we carried out searches and applied our methods to a case study to test our ideas.Results: We have developed a two-stage framework, the first stage of which is designed to identify mechanisms underpinning a specific exposure-disease relationship; the second stage is a targeted systematic review of studies on a specific mechanism. As part of the methodology, we also developed an online tool for text mining for mechanism prioritization (TeMMPo) and a new graph for displaying related but heterogeneous data from epidemiologic studies (the Albatross plot).Conclusions: We have developed novel tools for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies of exposure-disease relationships. In doing so, we have outlined how we have overcome the challenges that we faced and provided researchers with practical guides for conducting mechanistic systematic reviews.Impact: The aforementioned methodology and tools will allow potential mechanisms to be identified and the strength of the evidence underlying a particular mechanism to be assessed. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(11); 1667-75. {\textcopyright}2017 AACR.",

keywords = "Biomedical Research/methods, Data Mining/methods, Evidence-Based Medicine/methods, Humans, Intersectoral Collaboration, Neoplasms/diagnosis, Research Design",

author = "Lewis, {Sarah J} and Mike Gardner and Julian Higgins and Holly, {Jeff M P} and Gaunt, {Tom R} and Perks, {Claire M} and Turner, {Suzanne D} and Sabina Rinaldi and Steve Thomas and Sean Harrison and Lennon, {Rosie J} and Vanessa Tan and Cath Borwick and Pauline Emmett and Mona Jeffreys and Kate Northstone and Giota Mitrou and Martin Wiseman and Rachel Thompson and Martin, {Richard M}",

note = "{\textcopyright}2017 American Association for Cancer Research.",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232",

language = "English",

volume = "26",

pages = "1667--1675",

journal = "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention",

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Lewis, SJ, Gardner, M, Higgins, J, Holly, JMP, Gaunt, TR, Perks, CM, Turner, SD, Rinaldi, S, Thomas, S, Harrison, S, Lennon, RJ, Tan, V, Borwick, C, Emmett, P, Jeffreys, M, Northstone, K, Mitrou, G, Wiseman, M, Thompson, R & Martin, RM 2017, 'Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations', Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, vol. 26, no. 11, pp. 1667-1675. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232

Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations. / Lewis, Sarah J; Gardner, Mike; Higgins, Julian et al.
In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol. 26, No. 11, 11.2017, p. 1667-1675.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations

AU - Lewis, Sarah J

AU - Gardner, Mike

AU - Higgins, Julian

AU - Holly, Jeff M P

AU - Gaunt, Tom R

AU - Perks, Claire M

AU - Turner, Suzanne D

AU - Rinaldi, Sabina

AU - Thomas, Steve

AU - Harrison, Sean

AU - Lennon, Rosie J

AU - Tan, Vanessa

AU - Borwick, Cath

AU - Emmett, Pauline

AU - Jeffreys, Mona

AU - Northstone, Kate

AU - Mitrou, Giota

AU - Wiseman, Martin

AU - Thompson, Rachel

AU - Martin, Richard M

PY - 2017/11

Y1 - 2017/11

N2 - Background: Human, animal, and cell experimental studies; human biomarker studies; and genetic studies complement epidemiologic findings and can offer insights into biological plausibility and pathways between exposure and disease, but methods for synthesizing such studies are lacking. We, therefore, developed a methodology for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies that underpin exposure-cancer associations.Methods: A multidisciplinary team with expertise in informatics, statistics, epidemiology, systematic reviews, cancer biology, and nutrition was assembled. Five 1-day workshops were held to brainstorm ideas; in the intervening periods we carried out searches and applied our methods to a case study to test our ideas.Results: We have developed a two-stage framework, the first stage of which is designed to identify mechanisms underpinning a specific exposure-disease relationship; the second stage is a targeted systematic review of studies on a specific mechanism. As part of the methodology, we also developed an online tool for text mining for mechanism prioritization (TeMMPo) and a new graph for displaying related but heterogeneous data from epidemiologic studies (the Albatross plot).Conclusions: We have developed novel tools for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies of exposure-disease relationships. In doing so, we have outlined how we have overcome the challenges that we faced and provided researchers with practical guides for conducting mechanistic systematic reviews.Impact: The aforementioned methodology and tools will allow potential mechanisms to be identified and the strength of the evidence underlying a particular mechanism to be assessed. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(11); 1667-75. ©2017 AACR.

AB - Background: Human, animal, and cell experimental studies; human biomarker studies; and genetic studies complement epidemiologic findings and can offer insights into biological plausibility and pathways between exposure and disease, but methods for synthesizing such studies are lacking. We, therefore, developed a methodology for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies that underpin exposure-cancer associations.Methods: A multidisciplinary team with expertise in informatics, statistics, epidemiology, systematic reviews, cancer biology, and nutrition was assembled. Five 1-day workshops were held to brainstorm ideas; in the intervening periods we carried out searches and applied our methods to a case study to test our ideas.Results: We have developed a two-stage framework, the first stage of which is designed to identify mechanisms underpinning a specific exposure-disease relationship; the second stage is a targeted systematic review of studies on a specific mechanism. As part of the methodology, we also developed an online tool for text mining for mechanism prioritization (TeMMPo) and a new graph for displaying related but heterogeneous data from epidemiologic studies (the Albatross plot).Conclusions: We have developed novel tools for identifying mechanisms and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanistic studies of exposure-disease relationships. In doing so, we have outlined how we have overcome the challenges that we faced and provided researchers with practical guides for conducting mechanistic systematic reviews.Impact: The aforementioned methodology and tools will allow potential mechanisms to be identified and the strength of the evidence underlying a particular mechanism to be assessed. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(11); 1667-75. ©2017 AACR.

KW - Biomedical Research/methods

KW - Data Mining/methods

KW - Evidence-Based Medicine/methods

KW - Humans

KW - Intersectoral Collaboration

KW - Neoplasms/diagnosis

KW - Research Design

U2 - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232

DO - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0232

M3 - Article

C2 - 28978562

SN - 1055-9965

VL - 26

SP - 1667

EP - 1675

JO - Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

JF - Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention

IS - 11

ER -

Developing the WCRF international/University of Bristol methodology for identifying and carrying out systematic reviews of mechanisms of exposure-cancer associations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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