Ensuring Quality Cancer Care

November 10, 2000

Online EBM Search Filters

Searching Ovid MEDLINE – Indiana University /
PubMed Clinical Table /
University of York (strategies for reviews and Meta-analyses /
University of Rochester – filters for Ovid and PubMed (expanded terms) /
Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (UK) Winspirs & Ovid) /
Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oxford, (UK) /
University of Alberta /

Web resources on evidence-based medicine:

Oxford Center for EBM /
Canadian Center for Health Evidence /
Bandolier /
JAMA’s series /
Cochrane Collaboration /
BMJ Clinical Evidence Series /

Evidence-based oncology and guidelines web sites

Cancer Care Ontario – Practice Guidelines Initiative (CCOPGI) /
Cancer Care Ontario – Program in Evidence-Based Care (PEBC) /
Evidence-based Oncology /
ASCO Clinical Practice Guidelines /
NCI CancerNet (PDQ & CANCERLIT) /
Oncolink /
Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (was AHCPR) /
National Guidelines Clearinghouse /

Most Sensitive MEDLINE Search Strategy for

Identifying Randomized Controlled Trials – adapted for Ovid (MedNet)

  1. randomized controlled trial.pt.
  2. exp randomized controlled trials
  3. random allocation
  4. double-blind method
  5. single-blind method
  6. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5
  1. clinical trial.pt.
  2. exp clinical trials
  3. clin:.tw. adj trial:.tw.
  4. (singl:.tw. or doubl:.tw. or trebl:.tw. or tripl:.tw.) and (blind:.tw. or mask:.tw.)
  5. placebos
  6. placebo:.tw.
  7. random:.tw.
  8. exp research design
  9. 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 or 14
  1. comparative study
  2. exp evaluation studies
  3. follow-up studies
  4. prospective studies
  5. control:.tw. or prospectiv:.tw. or volunteer:.tw.
  6. 16 or 17 or 18 or 19 or 20

These terms provide the highest precision and specificity with stage one terms (sets 1-6). The other two stages are added when more retrieval is needed for the greatest sensitivity (sets 7-15 and sets 16-21). Limit any of these groups to Human. (Dickersin, BMJ, 1994)

Adapted for PubMed

(randomized controlled trial[pt] OR randomized controlled trials[mh] OR random allocation[mh] OR double-blind method[mh] OR single-blind method[mh])

(clinical trial[pt] OR exp clinical trials[mh] OR “clin* trial*” OR (singl* OR doubl* OR trebl* OR tripl*) AND (blind* OR mask*) OR placebos[mh] OR placebo* OR random* OR research design[mh])

(comparative study[mh] OR evaluation studies[mh] OR follow-up studies[mh] OR prospective studies [mh] OR control* OR prospectiv* OR volunteer*)

The first group provides the highest specificity; use the other two groups when more retrieval is needed. Limit to Human.

Haynes Search Terms

Adapted for Ovid (these are imbedded in PubMed’s Clinical Queries)

Therapy Search Terms

Specificity – (double.tw. and blind:.tw.) or placebo.tw.

Sensitivity – randomized controlled trial.pt. or drug therapy.sh. or therapeutic use.sh. or random:.tw.

Diagnosis Search Terms

Specificity– sensitivity and specificity or (predictive.tw. and value:.tw.)

Sensitivity – sensitivity and specificity or sensitivity.tw. or diagnosis.sh. or diagnosticuse.sh. or specificity.tw.

Etiology Search Terms

Specificity - case-control studies or cohort studies

Sensitivity – cohort studies or risk or (odds.tw. and ratio:.tw.) or (relative.tw. andrisk.tw.) or (case.tw. and control:.tw.)

Prognosis Search Terms

Specificity - prognosis or survival analysis

Sensitivity – incidence or mortality or follow-up studies or mortality.sh. or prognos:.tw. or predict:.tw. or course.tw.