Imaging Progression-Free Survival: How Much Does It Matter To Patients?

99Background: Progression-free survival (PFS) is often used as a clinical trials outcome for evaluating new therapies for solid tumors. While PFS is a validated surrogate for overall survival (OS) or quality of life (QOL) in some settings, it is increasingly used in contexts where surrogacy is not established. The end point is a composite of survival, symptomatic progression, and imaging-only progression. The intrinsic value of asymptomatic (imaging-only) progression from the patient perspective is not known. Methods: Patients with advanced metastatic cancer (lung, colorectal, or ovarian) who had completed at least 3 months of chemotherapy and were attending a routine ambulatory clinic were recruited and participated in a structured discrete choice trade-off exercise. The interview guide and visual aids were developed by a multidisciplinary team including patient representatives. Participants were provided with a hypothetical clinical scenario and associated treatment options. Treatment options presented ...