Table 1

Characteristics of the publications included in the analysis

2012–2016 (n=446)2017–2021 (n=388)
Year of primary manuscript
 201294 (21.1)
 201396 (21.5)
 201487 (19.5)
 201595 (21.3)
 201674 (16.6)
 2017101 (26.0)
 201876 (19.6)
 201967 (17.3)
 202066 (17.0)
 202178 (20.1)
Primary manuscript journal
Annals of Oncology61 (13.7)41 (10.6)
British Journal of Cancer8 (1.8)8 (2.1)
 Cancer7 (1.6)3 (0.8)
European Journal of Cancer22 (4.9)24 (6.2)
JAMA7 (1.6)7 (1.8)
JAMA Oncology1 (0.2)25 (6.4)
Journal of Clinical Oncology139 (31.2)73 (18.8)
Journal of the National Cancer Institute3 (0.7)4 (1.0)
Lancet30 (6.7)36 (9.3)
Lancet Oncology123 (27.6)97 (25.0)
New England Journal of Medicine45 (10.1)70 (18.0)
Journals’ impact factor
 Low (<15)101 (22.6%)61 (15.7%)
 Intermediate (15–30)251 (56.3%)53 (13.7%)
 High (>30)94 (21.1%)274 (70.6%)
Study sponsor
 Industry-sponsored209 (46.9)226 (58.2)
 Academic237 (53.1)162 (41.8)
Type of tumour
 Breast84 (18.8)88 (22.7)
 Lung83 (18.6)68 (17.5)
 GI109 (24.4)92 (23.7)
 GU55 (12.3)52 (13.4)
 Other115 (25.8)88 (22.7)
Disease stage
 Localised124 (27.8)118 (30.4)
  Advanced/
  metastatic
322 (72.2)270 (69.6)
Study design
 Superiority412 (92.4)355 (91.5)
 Non-inferiority34 (7.6)33 (8.5)
Masking
 Open label308 (69.1)267 (68.8)
 Blinded138 (30.9)121 (31.2)
Type of experimental therapy*
 Chemotherapy±other273 (61.2)203 (52.3)
 Targeted therapy±other210 (47.1)180 (46.4)
 Hormonal therapy±other43 (9.6)47 (12.1)
  Immunotherapy±
  other
33 (7.4)86 (22.2)
 Other8 (1.8)
  • *Categories are not mutually exclusive.

  • GI, gastrointestinal; GU, genitourinary.