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In Reply:

Department of Medicine and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University; and the Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

A meta-analysis is best performed with data from randomized trials.^1,2 The pooling of results by Bentzen and Yarnold does not correct for any potential biases in the three case series because of the non-random allocation of data between sequential versus concurrent tamoxifen and radiotherapy. Nonetheless, their analysis identifies the limited power of the three studies and supports the need for a large randomized controlled trial to address this issue.

Authors' Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest

The authors indicated no potential conflicts of interest.

REFERENCES

1. Oxman A, Cook D, Guyatt G: Users' guides to the medical literature VI: How to use an overview. JAMA 272:1367-1371, 1994[Abstract/Free Full Text]

2. Kinz R, Oxman A: The unpredictability paradox: Review of empirical comparisons of randomised and non-randomised clinical trials. BMJ 317:1185-1190, 1998[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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Related Correspondence

• Sequential or Concurrent Tamoxifen and Radiotherapy: To See or Not to See—That Is the Question!
  Søren M. Bentzen and John R. Yarnold
  JCO 2005 23: 6266-6267 [Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Save to my personal folders Download to citation manager Rights & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Whelan, T. Articles by Levine, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Whelan, T. Articles by Levine, M. Related Articles Related Correspondence Social Bookmarking                            What's this?