What do systematic reviews say?

Delayed chemotherapy vs immediate chemotherapy

• Survival differences with immediate versus delayed chemotherapy for asymptomatic incurable metastatic colorectal cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 174 participants
  Low

Combination chemotherapy vs single‐agent chemotherapy

Combination chemotherapy leads to lower chemotherapy compliance compared with single‐agent chemotherapy (high certainty).

• Combination chemotherapy versus single‐agent chemotherapy during preoperative chemoradiation for resectable rectal… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.36 [0.26, 0.52]
  2 studies · 1331 participants
  High

Platinum‐containing chemotherapy vs chemotherapy without platinum

Platinum‐containing chemotherapy leads to higher participants requiring chemotherapy delays compared with chemotherapy without platinum (high certainty).

• Platinum‐based chemotherapy for early triple‐negative breast cancer 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.23 [1.7, 2.94]
  5 studies · 1053 participants
  High

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

Chemotherapy showed no clear difference in overall survival (non‐taxane monotherapy vs taxane monotherapy) compared with chemotherapy (low certainty).

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 1.13 [0.86, 1.48]
  1 study · 219 participants
  Low

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

Chemotherapy showed no clear difference in overall survival (taxane‐containing doublet therapy vs taxane… compared with chemotherapy (low certainty).

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 1.05 [0.72, 1.54]
  2 studies · 121 participants
  Low

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 107 participants
  High

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

Chemotherapy showed no clear difference in progression‐free survival (non‐taxane monotherapy vs taxane… compared with chemotherapy (low certainty).

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 1.14 [0.88, 1.48]
  1 study · 219 participants
  Low
• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 0.75 [0.52, 1.09]
  2 studies · 121 participants
  Low
• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 107 participants
  High

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 448 participants
  High

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

Chemotherapy showed no clear difference in tumour response rate (non‐taxane monotherapy vs taxane monotherapy) compared with chemotherapy (low certainty).

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.65 [0.34, 1.26]
  1 study · 179 participants
  Low
• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.48, 1.67]
  1 study · 107 participants
  Low

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

It is very uncertain whether chemotherapy changes tumour response rate (taxane‐containing doublet therapy vs taxane… compared with chemotherapy (very low certainty).

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.47 [0.56, 3.89]
  2 studies · 121 participants
  Very low

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 448 participants
  Moderate

Chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone

• Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago‐gastric junction adenocarcinoma 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 70 participants
  Very low

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

It is very uncertain whether chemotherapy changes mortality (at maximal compared with no chemotherapy (very low certainty).

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 0.85 [0.6, 1.18]
  2 studies · 412 participants
  Very low

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Chemotherapy vs no chemotherapy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Management of people with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Chemotherapy vs best supportive care

Chemotherapy probably leads to lower overall survival compared with best supportive care (moderate certainty).

• Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 0.37 [0.24, 0.55]
  3 studies · 184 participants
  Moderate

Chemotherapy vs best supportive care

Chemotherapy probably leads to lower time to progression compared with best supportive care (moderate certainty).

• Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  HR 0.31 [0.22, 0.43]
  2 studies · 144 participants
  Moderate