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Limitations and Advantages of Meta-analysis in Clinical Trials

  • H. E. Rockette
  • C. K. Redmond
Conference paper
Part of the Recent Results in Cancer Research book series (RECENTCANCER, volume 111)

Abstract

Meta-analysis has recently been applied to a variety of areas in medical research (Collins and Langman 1985; Himel et al. 1986; Collins et al. 1985; Tran and Welt- man 1985). By meta-analysis we mean a quantitative synthesis of data across several different but related studies. This usually entails the application of uniform methods of statistical analyses and/or data presentation. Reasons for performing a meta-analysis include confirmation of a general hypothesis by combining data from related studies, estimation of a general treatment effect by combining data from related studies, generation of hypotheses for further testing, and convincing others of a finding by presenting a systematic summary of all studies related to that finding.

Keywords

Average Treatment Effect Classical Hypothesis Public Health Decision Systematic Summary Adjuvant Therapy Trial 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg 1988

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. E. Rockette
    • 1
  • C. K. Redmond
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public HealthUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghUSA

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