Clinical Trial Design and Drug Approval in Oncology: A Primer for the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology

The Importance of Endpoints in Oncology Clinical Trials

Innovative clinical trials identify appropriate endpoints when seeking to evaluate potential new cancer treatments, better ways of using existing medications, or enhanced supportive care techniques. A recent X (formerly Twitter) post highlighted a workshop held in July 2023 sponsored by the FDA, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and the American Statistical Association (ASA). The workshop convened experts who discussed how to improve the collection and assessment of endpoints in oncology clinical trials (AACR, 2023). As an advanced practitioner (AP) who treats individuals with various cancers and blood disorders, it is important to me to evaluate each clinical trial and its study methodology, design, and overall quality. As a grant and study protocol reviewer, the study design and endpoints of each clinical trial are important when assessing whether the clinical trial has proven the benefit of an intervention or drug; whether it has improved the overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS), or provided clinical benefit to the patient. With the influx of drugs in development, it is more important than ever to understand these statistical measures.