Professional
Technical
IVT
overall survival
Time from treatment start or randomization until death from any cause.
Full Definition
Overall survival (OS) is the most important endpoint in cancer clinical trials, measuring the length of time from either the start of treatment or randomization until death from any cause. This endpoint represents the ultimate measure of clinical benefit and is considered the gold standard for demonstrating treatment efficacy in oncology. Overall survival is particularly valued by regulatory agencies for drug approval decisions because it directly reflects the impact of treatment on patient longevity without the complexity of determining cause of death.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as adjective. Abbreviate as OS after first use.
In Context
- "Overall survival was significantly improved in the experimental arm." — Clinical trial primary analysis
- "The study was powered to detect a 33% improvement in overall survival." — Statistical analysis plan
Also known as
OS
survival
Don't confuse with
progression-free survival
disease-specific survival