Optimal frequency of scans for patients on cancer therapies: A population kinetics assessment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Optimal frequency of follow-up scans for patients receiving systemic therapies is poorly defined. Progression-free survival (PFS) generally follows first-order kinetics. We used exponential decay nonlinear regression analysis to calculate half-lives for 887 published PFS curves.

Method

We used the Excel formula x = EXP(-t_n *0.693/t_1/2 ) to calculate proportion of residual patients remaining progression-free at different times, where t_n is the interval in weeks between scans (eg, 6 weeks), * indicates multiplication, 0.693 is the natural logarithm of 2, and t_1/2 is the PFS half-life in weeks.

Results

Proportion of residual patients predicted to remain progression-free at each subsequent scan varied with scan interv

SUBMITTER: Stewart DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6853816 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature