title: Urological cancer care pathways: development and use in the context of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Making healthcare treatment decisions is a complex process involving a broad stakeholder base including patients, their families, health professionals, clinical practice guideline developers and funders of healthcare.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper presents a review of a methodology for the development of urological cancer care pathways (UCAN care pathways), which reflects an appreciation of this broad stakeholder base. The methods section includes an overview of the steps in the development of the UCAN care pathways and engagement with clinical content experts and patient groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The development process is outlined, the uses of the urological cancer care pathways discussed and the implications for clinical practice highlighted. The full set of UCAN care pathways is published in this paper. These include care pathways on localised prostate cancer, locally advanced prostate cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, hormone-resistant prostate cancer, localised renal cell cancer, advanced renal cell cancer, testicular cancer, penile cancer, muscle invasive and metastatic bladder cancer and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The process provides a useful framework for improving urological cancer care through evidence synthesis, research prioritisation, stakeholder involvement and international collaboration. Although the focus of this work is urological cancers, the methodology can be applied to all aspects of urology and is transferable to other clinical specialties.
authors.affiliation: Academic Urology Unit, University of Aberdeen, Health Sciences Building, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK. s.maclennan@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sara Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Maclennan
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Maclennan
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Muhammad Imran
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Royle
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Royle
authors.forename: Satchi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swami
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McClinton
authors.forename: T R Leyshon
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dahm
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: N'dow
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*