– Why is cancer treatment measured in 3 and 5 year survival rates?

Question

Is cancer so “uncurable” we only hope to extend the patient’s life and not cure it completely?

In: Biology

Answer 1

I mean, you can’t exactly get 50 year survival rates before 50 years have passed. Using some small number as the gold standard lets you compare drugs in a time frame that makes sense. If a drug is effecting 3 and 5 year rates then cool, use that drug, 30 years later we can do the actual study to see how it goes on 30 years. We aren’t going to start on the 30 year trials before putting it out!