Pharmacy Citation Guide (Vancouver Style)

As you write, cite by numbering each idea or paraphrase in ^superscript. The first article you cite becomes ¹, the second ² and so on. The numbers always go at the end of the sentence, but you can cite more than one number per sentence (see the examples below). These numbers correspond to the order of citations in your reference list. If you cite an article more than once, use the same number as before. 

Thank you for your inquiry regarding which diagnostic test—the colonoscopy or guaiac-fecal occult blood test (gFOBT)—would be most effective at diagnosing colon cancer in your 42-year-old male patient. Evidence comparing the two strategies is outlined below, but please consider the fact that the major guidelines recommend against routine colorectal cancer screening in otherwise healthy patients under the age of 50.^1,2 Thus, any diagnostic test may not be needed in this specific patient unless he possesses risk factors that necessitate earlier screening.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents the second largest cause of cancer-related death in the US. Recent estimates suggest approximately 134,000 cases will be diagnosed in 2016, of which 49,000 cases may end with death.¹ Risk factors include advanced age (>55 years), family history of colon cancer, smoking, obesity (BMI >30), male gender, and African American race.^1-3 Screening is vital as observational studies have noted a significant decrease in CRC mortality with colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy vs no endoscopy (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.23-043).⁴

References

1. Bibbins-Domingo K, Grossman DC, Curry SJ, et al. Screening for colorectal cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation statement. JAMA. 2016;315(23):2564-75.

2. Rex DK, Johnson DA, Anderson JC, et al. American College of Gastroenterology guidelines for colorectal cancer screening 2009 [corrected]. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009;104(3):739-50.

3. Ruco A, Stock D, Hilsden RJ, et al. Evaluation of a clinical risk index for advanced colorectal neoplasia among a North American population of screening age. BMC Gastroenterol. 2015;15:162.

4. Brenner H, Stock C, Hoffmeister M. Effect of screening sigmoidoscopy and screening colonoscopy on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies. BMJ. 2014;348:g2467.