Determining the optimal number and location of cutoff points with application to data of cervical cancer

PLoS One. 2017 Apr 27;12(4):e0176231. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176231. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

It is often helpful to classify biomarker values into groups of different risk levels to facilitate evaluation of a biological, physiological, or pathological state. Stratification of patients into two risk groups is commonly seen, but there is always need for more than two groups for fine assessment. So far, there are no standard methods or tools to help decide how many cutoff points are optimal. In this study, we developed a comprehensive package that included methods to determine both the optimal number and locations of cutoff points for both survival data and dichotomized outcome. We illustrated workflow of this package with data from 797 patients with cervical cancer. By analyzing several risk factors of cervical cancer such as tumor size, body mass index (BMI), number of lymph nodes involved and depth of stromal invasion, in relation to survival and clinical outcome such as lymph nodal metastasis and lymphovascular invasion, we demonstrated that the best choice for BMI and stromal invasion was two cutoff points and one for the others. This study provided a useful tool to facilitate medical decisions and the analyses on cervical cancer may also be of interest to gynecologists. The package can be freely downloaded.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Risk Assessment
  • Tumor Burden
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Grant # 104-2118-M-110 -001, from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Republic of China (CC); and Grants # VGHKS105-104 and VGHNSU103-006, from Kaohsiung Veteran General Hospital (AC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.