Management of colorectal cancer
Section 14: Development of the guideline

14.1 Introduction

SIGN is a collaborative network of clinicians, other health care professionals, and patient organisations, funded by the Scottish Executive Health Department. SIGN guidelines are developed by multidisciplinary groups of practising clinicians using a standard methodology based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details about SIGN and the guideline development methodology are contained in “SIGN 50: A guideline developer’s handbook”, available at www.sign.ac.uk

14.2 The guideline development group

The membership of the guideline development group was confirmed following consultation with the member organisations of SIGN. Declarations of interests were made by all members of the guideline development group. Further details are available from the SIGN Executive.

14.3 Systematic literature review

The evidence base for this guideline was synthesised in accordance with SIGN methodology. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using an explicit search strategy devised by the SIGN Information Officer in collaboration with members of the guideline development group. The search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses covered the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and HEALTHSTAR databases, and the internet, from January 1990 to January 2001. The search for randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case control studies, and cross-sectional surveys covered the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, CANCERLIT and CINAHL databases, and the internet, from January 1993 to January 2001. The evidence base was updated during the course of development of the guideline, and the search was supplemented by reviewing references identified from papers from the searches and from personal databases of the guideline development group members. The MEDLINE version of the search strategies used can be viewed on the SIGN website.

14.4 Consultation and peer review

14.4.1 NATIONAL OPEN MEETING

A national open meeting is the main consultative phase of SIGN guideline development, at which the guideline development group present their draft recommendations for the first time. The national open meeting for this guideline was held on 9 October 2001 and was attended by around 250 representatives of all the key specialties relevant to the guideline. The draft guideline was also available on the SIGN web site for a limited period at this stage to allow those unable to attend the meeting to contribute to the development of the guideline.

14.4.2 SPECIALIST REVIEW

The guideline was also reviewed in draft form by a panel of independent expert referees, who were asked to comment primarily on the comprehensiveness and accuracy of interpretation of the evidence base supporting the recommendations in the guideline. SIGN is very grateful to all of these experts for their contribution to this guideline.

14.4.3 SIGN EDITORIAL GROUP

As a final quality control check, the guideline is reviewed by an Editorial Group comprising the relevant specialty representatives on SIGN Council to ensure that the peer reviewers’ comments have been addressed adequately and that any risk of bias in the guideline development process as a whole has been minimised. The Editorial Group for this guideline was as follows:

Each member of the guideline development group then approved the final guideline for publication.

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