Djulbegovic B, Soares HP, Kumar A "Citation impact of breakthrough interventions for malignant blood disorders. " BLOOD 106 (11): 871A-871A 3115 Part 1, NOV 16 2005

[Eugene Garfield]

Benjamin Djulbegovic : bdjulbeg at hsc.usf.edu

Title: Citation impact of breakthrough interventions for malignant blood
disorders.

Author(s): Djulbegovic B, Soares HP, Kumar A

Source: BLOOD 106 (11): 871A-871A 3115 Part 1, NOV 16 2005

Document Type: Meeting Abstract
Language: English
Cited References: 0      Times Cited: 0

Addresses: H Lee Moffit Canc Ctr & Res Inst, Dept Interdisciplinary Oncol,
Tampa, FL USA

Publisher: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY, 1900 M STREET. NW SUITE 200, WASHINGTON, DC
20036 USA
Subject Category: HEMATOLOGY
IDS Number: 986CF          ISSN: 0006-4971


Abstract

Background: Citation count is a widely accepted measure of how much a study
has drawn attention of other scientists and clinicians. The studies that
have generated new, breakthrough interventions that potentially can affect
the lives of many patients are expected to be widely disseminated. In this
work, we test hypothesis if the breakthrough interventions as discovered in
the NCI sponsored phase III hematological malignancies trials received high
citation count. NCI trials account for almost 100% of publicly sponsored
phase III trials in the US.

Methods: We evaluated all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have
been conducted by six NCI sponsored cooperative oncology groups (COGs). We
included all trials that were completed by 2002. Here, we focus on
hematological malignancies trials. We arbitrarily defined as "breakthrough
interventions" those interventions that were judged by the investigators
highly preferred so they should become standard of care and/or had an
effect size was so large that their log hazard ratio for survival or event-
free survival was –1 or less. The study which received more than 1,000
citations is considered as highly-cited clinical research paper. (Ioannidis
JPA, JAMA 2005)

Results: We evaluated 133 hematological-malignancy trials/comparisons.
Ninety-two trials studied leukemias, 38 lymphomas and 3 either multiple
myeloma or myelodysplastic syndrome. 26 (20%) interventions were found to
meet the criteria for the "breaktrough interventions". None of the papers
met criteria for highly-cited research. Citation counts ranged from 4–311
(median: 62). The highest-cited paper reported the use of All-trans-
retinoic acid for induction and maintanence of acute promyelocytic
leukemia. This paper is currently cited in NCCN guidelines and the NCI PQD®
treatment website.

Conclusions: The best clinical research in hematological malignancies has
received relatively little scientific attention. Elucidating the factors
that could explain these findings may help identify the barriers that
prevent generation and dissemination of evidence of vital importance for
improving outcomes of patients with malignant blood disorders.