1. HOW TO WRITE THE RESULTS SECTION
Stephen A. Boorjian, MD
Carl Rosen Professor of Urology
Vice Chair of Research
Director, Urologic Oncology Fellowship
Department of Urology
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

2. DISCLOSURES Financial: none Intellectual: “this is how I do it”
Many approaches can be successful

3. KEY THEME
Consider the same features in writing a paper as when reviewing

4. OUTLINE FOR TALK
Writing the text of the Results section of the manuscript
Tables/Figures
What to include in the results section of the Abstract

5. WRITING THE RESULTS SECTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT
KEY SECTION OF MANUSCRIPT
“Non-fixable” with revisions
“50,000-foot view”: broad specific
First paragraph = overall number included/excluded in study
If large number excluded – provide evidence that population excluded not significantly different than population included
Exclude selection bias

6. WRITING THE RESULTS SECTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT
First paragraph (continued):
Cohort demographics
i.e. median age, sex distribution
CAVEAT – DO NOT RECAPITULATE IN THE TEXT WHAT IS IN TABLES
Should provide one or two critical demographic details, and/or points not included in the tables

7. BROAD TO NARROW AT START, WITH COHORT DEMOGRAPHICS FIRST

8. WRITING THE RESULTS SECTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT
After first paragraph, should move from broad to specific
Demographics  treatment details  outcomes
Critical that all relevant treatment details be included
i.e. for manuscript on RP  number who received adjuvant therapy, number who received salvage therapy

9. REPORTING OF OUTCOMES IN THE TEXT OF THE RESULTS SECTION
KEY: Report median follow-up in survivors, with interquartile range
KEY: Report the number of specific events for each outcome measure of interest (recurrence, cancer death, all cause mortality)
Not just percentages!
i.e. don’t just say “The 5 year survival was 65% versus 42%...”

10. REPORTING OF OUTCOMES IN THE TEXT OF THE RESULTS SECTION
“The median follow-up after surgery was years (IQR 8.4, 12.2), during which time 780 patients experienced biochemical recurrence, 560 were diagnosed with clinical metastases, and 600 died, including 380 who died of prostate cancer.”

11. SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THE RESULTS: FOLLOW-UP AND EVENTS

12. REPORTING OF OUTCOMES IN THE TEXT OF THE RESULTS SECTION
KEY: After reporting demographics, treatment, raw number of events, when reporting statistical analyses, move from univariable (Kaplan Meier) data first to multivariable model data second
KEY: Make sure that every table/figure is referenced in the text (including supplemental)
And vice versa – make sure that context is provided in the text for the data from every table/figure
After reporting analyses from overall cohort, then report subgroup (sensitivity) analyses

13. WRITING THE RESULTS SECTION: A CHANCE FOR A DATA “CHECK POINT”
As you are writing, make sure that the “story” you are telling makes sense
i.e. are you reporting an association of a treatment with outcomes that demonstrates congruous findings with recurrence, cancer- specific mortality, and all-cause mortality?
Do you see a dose-effect with treatment?
If not, re-evaluate the data/analyses, and be prepared to explain discrepancies in Discussion

14. MAKING SURE THE DATA MAKES SENSE

15. RESULTS SECTION OF TEXT: WHAT NOT TO INCLUDE
Key - Results section should not include authors’ editorializing or offering interpretation of their data
That is for the Discussion section of the manuscript
Results section should be comprehensive of most relevant data but also concise
Should not read like a “laundry list”

16. MANUSCRIPT TABLES: KEY POINTS
“Readability”
Too much/too little data provided to easily read
Do the numbers in the table add-up?
Confirm that no conflicting data (number discrepancies) between tables and text of results

17. Before
After
Spread over two pages

18. 2. Appearance & detail
Table 4

19. Risk score <2
Risk score >2
(n=689, 66%)
Overall (n=689)
No radiotherapy (n=399, 58%)
Radiotherapy (n=290, 42%)
p value
Overall (n=689)
Age
Mean (range%)
65.3 ( %)
65.6 ( %)
64.7 ( %)
0.09
PSA (ng/ml%)
12.6 ( %)
11.1 ( %)
14.9 ( %)
0.02
Gleason score
≤ 3+3=6
634 (93.3%)
380 (77.7%)
212 (73.1%)
<0.001
3+4=7
145 (21.3%)
234 (54.1%)
121 (21.1%)
4+3=7
89 (12.3%)
≥ 8
80 (10.0%)
Pathological stage
pT2
580 (87.1%)
231 (57.9%)
135 (46.6%)
pT3a
323 (46.9%)
168 (42.1%)
155 (53.4%)
pT3b
109 (15.8%)
37 (9.3%)
72 (24.8%)
pT4
1 (0.2%)
1 (0.1%)
0 (0%)
Lymph node status
pN0
612 (88.8%)
353 (88.5%)
259 (89.3%)
0.8
pN1
77 (11.2%)
46 (11.5%)
31 (10.7%)
Surgical margin
Negative
271 (39.3%)
149 (37.3%)
122 (42.1%)
0.2
Positive
418 (60.7%)
250 (62.7%)
168 (57.9%)
Adjuvant therapy status
None
399 (57.9%)
399 (100%)
Radiotherapy only
290 (42.1%)
290 (100%)
Radiotherapy & ADT
137 (19.9%)
53 (13.3%)
84 (29.0%)
ADT only
552 (80.1%)
346 (86.7%)
206 (71.1%)
Risk factors 1 2 3
* ADT = Androgen derpivation therapy
Data are stratified according to the novel risk score and adjuvant radiotherapy status.
Risk score derived from the sum of each risk factor (ie, pathologic Gleason score >8, pathologic stage pT3b/T4, and lymph node invasion) shared by each single patient

20. MANUSCRIPT TABLES: KEY POINTS
Sequence/completeness of tables
Demographic data – Table 1
+/- Univariable comparisons – Table 2
Often not provided, and that is ok
Multivariable models – Tables 3+
HR, 95% CI, p values provided

22. TABLES: INCLUSIVE OF HR, 95% CI, p value

23. MANUSCRIPT FIGURES Make sure all the figures included are necessary
No duplication with tables
No present the obvious (i.e. CT image of renal mass biopsy)
Is data presentation clear and not mis-labeled?
Appropriate axis/scales on graphs
Can figures be read “stand-alone” (without accompanying text)?
For Kaplan-Meier curve:
p values provided
Number of patients at risk at various timepoints provided

24. p value
Number at risk

25. CAPITALS No capitals What is this line doing here? No p value
Where is the fourth line (Arm A, Censored) ?
p value in a different place
No p value

26. Midpoint Arm A Allocated (n=51) Received treatment (n=51)
Did not receive treatment (n=0)
Arm B
Allocated (n=50)
Received treatment (n=50)
Did not receive treatment (n=0)

27. MANUSCRIPT FIGURES Randomized trial  CONSORT diagram = Figure 1
Systematic review/meta-analysis  diagram showing inclusion/exclusion criteria for studies
Kaplan Meier analyses
If presenting nomogram/statistical model  calibration curve

28. RESULTS SECTION OF THE ABSTRACT
Key: Results section of the Abstract should be able to STAND ALONE
For the casual reader who only reads the Abstract of the manuscript

29. RESULTS SECTION OF THE ABSTRACT: WHAT TO INCLUDE
Number of patients included for study
Critical demographic feature (pending word count)
Duration of follow-up
Number of events (i.e. deaths) – if possible within word count limits
Kaplan Meier and multivariable results
KM with p values (i.e. not just %)
For multivariable analysis, HR with either 95% CI and/or p value (ideally all 3)

30. SAMPLE ABSTRACT WITH CRITICAL DATAPOINTS INCLUDED

31. HOW TO WRITE THE RESULTS SECTION: SUMMARY
Move from broad to specific in text
Demographicstreatmentoutcomes
Provide median follow-up + specific number of events!
Comprehensive but concise
Avoid duplication of data in tables/figures

32. HOW TO WRITE THE RESULTS SECTION: SUMMARY
Tables/Figures
Follow logical sequence
All are referenced in and consistent with text
Key = ease of “readability”/interpretation
Results section of the Abstract
Provide critical demographic/outcome details such that can be read as “stand alone”

33. THANK YOU
Questions?