End point of clinical trials

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An endpoint is something which is measured in a clinical trial or study. Measuring the selected endpoints is the goal of a trial. The response rate and survival are examples of the endpoints.

1 Disease Free Survival
2 Progression Free Survival
3 Response Duration
4 References

[edit] Disease Free Survival

The Disease Free Survival is usually used to analyse the results of the treatment for the localized disease which renders the patient apparently disease free, such as surgery or surgery plus adjuvant therapy. In the disease free survival, the event is relapse rather than death. The people who relapse are still surviving but they are no longer disease-free. Just as in the survival curves not all patients die, in Disease Free Survival curves not all patients relapse and the curve may have a final plateau representing the patients who didn't relapse after the study's maximum follow-up. Because the patients survive for at least some time after the relapse, the curve for the actual survival would look better than Disease Free Survival curve.

[edit] Progression Free Survival

The Progression Free Survival is usually used in analysing the results of the treatment for the advanced disease. The event for the progression free survival is that the disease gets worse or progresses.

[edit] Response Duration

The response duration is occasionally used to analyze the results of the treatment for the advanced disease. The event is progression of the disease (relapse). This endpoint involves selecting a subgroup of the patients. It measures the length of the response in those patients who responded. The patients who don't respond aren't included.