Development of search filters for retrieval of literature on the molecular epidemiology of cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The available tools for searching literature in the area of molecular epidemiology of cancer, a relatively novel discipline, are largely unsatisfactory. The aim of this project was to develop two search filters in MEDLINE that would facilitate the retrieval of studies on cancer molecular epidemiology and to compare their performance. METHODS: Citations of all articles published in 2007 in three top journals in this area were hand-screened to establish a gold standard reference set of relevant papers. Two filters were created with this set: the first was based on the frequency of descriptors listed in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Medical Subject Headings Thesaurus (MeSH terms) only, the second was based on the frequency of words in titles and abstracts (text-words), besides MeSH terms. The sensitivity, specificity, precision and accuracy rates of the two filters were calculated as performance measures. RESULTS: Out of all 1602 published articles, 344 were found to be pertinent to cancer molecular epidemiology; these formed the gold standard set. The first filter was the most specific (99%) and showed a good precision (93.2%), the second showed a higher sensitivity (78.2%) and accuracy (91.6%). CONCLUSION: The two filters proposed here represent a balance between sensitivity and specificity. Redefinition and elaboration of more appropriate NLM MeSH terms could greatly facilitate the retrieval of studies on the molecular epidemiology of cancer. Authors themselves could facilitate this by inserting adequate words in title or abstract of their articles.

The CREST biorepository: a tool for molecular epidemiology and translational studies on malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other respiratory tract diseases.

OBJECTIVES: The Cancer of RESpiratory Tract (CREST) biorepository was established to investigate biological mechanisms and to develop tools and strategies for primary and secondary prevention of respiratory tract cancer. The CREST biorepository is focused on pleural malignant mesothelioma, a rare and severe cancer linked to asbestos exposure whose incidence is particularly high in the Ligurian region. METHODS: The CREST biorepository includes biological specimens from (a) patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, (b) patients with nonneoplastic respiratory conditions, and (c) control subjects. Whole blood, plasma, serum, lymphocytes, pleural fluid, saliva, and biopsies are collected, and a questionnaire is administered. Collection, transportation, and storage are done according to international standards. RESULTS: As of January 31, 2008, the overall number of subjects recruited was 1,590 (446 lung cancer, 209 pleural malignant mesothelioma, and 935 controls). The biorepository includes a total of 10,055 aliquots (4,741 serum; 3,082 plasma; 1,599 whole blood; 633 pleural fluid; and 561 lymphocytes) and 107 biopsies. Demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic information is collected for each subject and processed in a dedicated database. CONCLUSIONS: The CREST biorepository is a valuable tool for molecular epidemiology and translational studies. This structure relies on a network of contacts with local health districts that allows for an active search for patients. This is a particularly efficient approach, especially when the object of the study is a rare cancer type. The CREST experience suggests that the presence of limited resources can be overcome by the biorepository specialization, the high quality of the epidemiologic information, and the variety of samples.

A bibliometric analysis of scientific production in mesothelioma research.

This study aims at comparing scientific production in malignant mesothelioma (MM) among countries and evaluating publication trends and impact factor (IF). The PubMed database was searched with a strategy combining keywords listed in the Medical Subject Headings and free-text search. Publications numbers and IF were evaluated both as absolute values and after standardization by population and gross domestic product (GDP). 5240 citations were retrieved from the biennium 1951-1952 (n = 22) to 2005-2006 (n = 535). The 177% increase of MM publications from 1987 to 2006 exceeded by large the corresponding value of total cancer literature (123.5%). In these two decades, 2559 articles with IF were published: 46.4% came from the European Union (EU) (the UK, Italy and France ranking at the top), and 36.2% from the US. The highest mean IF was reported for the US (3.346), followed by Australia (3.318), and EU (2.415, with the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands first). Finland, Sweden and Australia had the best ratio between IF (sum) and resident population or GDP. The number of publications correlated with GDP (p = 0.001) and national MM mortality rates (p = 0.002). An association was found between a country commitment to MM research and the burden of disease (p = 0.04). Asbestos, survival, prognosis, occupational exposure, differential diagnosis, and immunohistochemistry were the most commonly used keywords. This report represents the first effort to explore the geographical and temporal distribution of MM research and its determinants. This is an essential step in understanding science priorities and developing disease control policies.