title: Semi-parametric models of long- and short-term survival: an application to the analysis of breast cancer survival in Utah by age and stage.
abstract: A flexible class of semi-parametric survival models is proposed that takes account of long- and short-term covariate effects in cancer survival. The diversity of responses described by the models include non-proportional and crossing survival curves as well as a fraction of long-term survivors. Restricted non-parametric maximum likelihood estimation procedures (RNPMLE) are developed to provide point estimates, confidence intervals and tests for the models. Numerical algorithms to fit semi-parametric survival models are emphasized. The methods are applied to analyse post-treatment survival of breast cancer patients diagnosed in Utah by age and stage.
authors.affiliation: Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Division of Biostatistics, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-5550, U.S.A. atsodiko@hci.utah.edu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsodikov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014589:Utah / Q000453:epidemiology