| Methods | RCT (Randomised Controlled Trial), multicentre (USA) | |
| Participants | Patients with resectable Dukes B, C (TNM stage II‐III) rectal cancer (n=574) | |
| Interventions | 3‐arm trial: patients were randomized to receive: A) surgery alone (n=191), or B) surgery + adjuvant radiotherapy (n=190), or C) surgery + adjuvant chemotherapy with 5‐FU, semustine, and vincristine (n=193). | |
| Outcomes | Disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) | |
| Notes | In this meta‐analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy, arm C (adjuvant chemotherapy) was compared to arm A (no adjuvant chemotherapy). At subgroup analysis, the authors reported that both DFS and OS were significantly improved by adjuvant chemotherapy in males |
|
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | A ‐ Adequate |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | |
| Other bias | Low risk | |
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