How one bit of medical jargon fuels public confusion about cancer treatments
Most new cancer treatments haven’t been proved to help patients live longer or feel better. Instead they delay the growth of tumors, which is measured as an improvement in Progression Free Survival (PFS). In the last decade it’s become the norm in cancer trials.
Patients have no idea what PFS means; it is often a poor marker for outcomes that are most important to them, such as living longer or a better quality of life during and after treatment.
Of the 42 fast-tracked cancer drugs the FDA approved in 2015-18, only 8 significantly prolonged overall survival. A recent review showed no link between a longer PFS and improved quality of life.
Reports on trials should include cost, adverse effects, conflicts of interest and whether a drug improves overall survival.
No comments:
Post a Comment