Imputing missing quality of life data as covariate in survival analysis of the International Breast Cancer Study Group Trials VI and VII. Issue 2 (7th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Procter, Marion; Robertson, Chris
• Is Part Of: Communications in statistics. Volume 48:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 580
• Page End: 590
• Publication Date: 2019-02-07
• Subjects: Informative missing data -- Multiple imputation -- Potential bias -- Quality of life -- Simple imputation -- Time-dependent Cox model; Mathematical statistics -- Periodicals; Mathematical statistics -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Digital computer simulation -- Periodicals; 519.5
• DOI: 10.1080/03610918.2017.1390123
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0361-0918

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Quality of life (QoL) was an important endpoint in the adjuvant breast cancer trials International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) Trial VI and VII. Here, QoL was considered as a time-dependent effect. The hypothesis explored is that poorer QoL throughout the trial is associated with poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and vice-versa. Potential bias in the parameter estimates is an important concern associated with missing observations. Standard simple and multiple imputation methods were applied to missing QoL assessments before analysis in a time-dependent Cox model. There was no evidence that the patient's QoL is related to the patient's DFS.