disease-free survival
Also written as: DFS — Disease-Free Survival
Time period from treatment completion to disease recurrence, progression, or death, used as primary endpoint in oncology trials.
Full Definition
Disease-free survival (DFS) measures the length of time after treatment during which no signs of cancer are detected. This endpoint is crucial in surgical oncology research and clinical practice as it reflects treatment efficacy beyond simple tumor removal. DFS encompasses both local recurrence and distant metastasis events, providing a comprehensive assessment of treatment success. Unlike overall survival, DFS can be measured relatively quickly in clinical trials, making it a preferred primary endpoint for adjuvant therapy studies where overall survival benefits may take years to demonstrate.
Usage
Usage note: Commonly abbreviated as DFS in clinical literature and reports.
In Context
- "Five-year disease-free survival rates improved significantly with the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy." — clinical trial results
- "The patient achieved excellent disease-free survival of 18 months following curative resection." — follow-up assessment