gms | German Medical Science

G-I-N Conference 2012

Guidelines International Network

22.08 - 25.08.2012, Berlin

Interdisciplinary evidence-based guideline for diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of adult Hodgkin lymphoma patients

Meeting Abstract

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  • N. Skoetz - Cochrane Haematological Malignancies Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Cologne, Germany
  • M. Rancea - Cochrane Haematological Malignancies Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Cologne, Germany
  • A. Engert - Cochrane Haematological Malignancies Group, Department I of Internal Medicine, Cologne, Germany

Guidelines International Network. G-I-N Conference 2012. Berlin, 22.-25.08.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. DocP004

doi: 10.3205/12gin116, urn:nbn:de:0183-12gin1168

Published: July 10, 2012

© 2012 Skoetz et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Background: So far, there is no evidence-based guideline giving recommendations for clinical practice in the treatment of adult Hodgkin lymphoma patients. To improve and standardise diagnosis, therapy and follow-up for these patients, the Cochrane Haematological Malignancies Group (CHMG) led the clinical practice guideline development, funded by the German Programme for Guidelines in Oncology Implementation (GGPO).

Context: The GGPO is a cooperation of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies, the German Cancer Society, and German Cancer Aid. This programme funds and supports the independent development of interdisciplinary evidence-based cancer guidelines in Germany.

Description of best practic: Potentially promising practice for guideline development are the following factors:

  • The methodological experience of the CHMG in systematically searching, selecting, extracting and appraising medical literature
  • The strong experience of the CHMG with the GRADE-profiler, leading to the first German guideline grading recommendations with GRADE
  • The intensive collaboration between the CHMG and the German Hodgkin Study Group, ensuring timely and clinically relevant guideline drafts
  • The editorial and peer-reviewing experience of the CHMG, which is one of 52 Review Groups of the Cochrane Collaboration, leading to quick and constructive feedback to the guideline authors Recently the guideline has been finalised and more than 170 recommendations have been consented.

Lessons for guideline developers: The development of the outlined interdisciplinary clinical practice guideline for Hodgkin lymphoma patients is an extraordinary positive example for closely combining methodological and clinical expertise leading to a high quality guideline within a limited timeframe.