Progression-Free Survival — What It Means in Clinical Trials
Plain English Definition
Progression-free survival (PFS) measures how long you live without your disease getting worse. The clock starts when treatment begins and stops when progression is detected or you pass away. PFS is often used because it can be measured sooner than overall survival.
Why It Matters
PFS tells you how long a treatment might keep your disease under control. Longer PFS means more time before you need to switch to a different treatment.
Example
A trial result might say: "Median progression-free survival was 11.2 months with Drug X compared to 5.4 months with standard treatment."
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