title: EORTC joint ventures in quality control: treatment-related variables and data acquisition in chemotherapy trials.
abstract: In multicentre studies, non-compliance with the protocol may limit the chances of reaching a correct conclusion. A procedure to examine the administration of chemotherapy in multicentre EORTC protocols has been developed. General aspects are covered in a mailed questionnaire on the prescription of drugs with rounding up or down of dosages, local facilities for preparation and the procedure for preparation and administration. More detail is collected during a quality control site visit. Ten centres have been visited and there was significant variation between centres in the organisation of chemotherapy administration. However, more striking differences were noted between the type and quality of hospital files. The lack of systematic recording of sequence, timing and doses of chemotherapy and, in particular, treatment related toxicity, is a major difficulty limiting the effectiveness of quality control. These shortcomings emphasise the need for standardisation of some aspects of case records and a suggested check-list has been drafted.
authors.affiliation: U.H. St. Rafaël, Radiotherapy Department, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vantongelen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steward
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blackledge
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Oosterom
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents