Abstract
In this paper, the data was analyzed by data mining techniques of association rules. The data for 506 patients consist of an identification number, stage of tumour, a code for the treatment to which the patient was assigned, the date of randomization, the total months of follow-up since randomization, an indicator for the survival status or cause of death, and the values of twelve pretreatment covariates. The goal of an analysis should be to compare the treatments with respect to survival of the patients. Since this was a randomized study it would ordinarily not be necessary to adjust for the values of the pretreatment covariates. However, in such studies it is advisable to examine the prognostic significance of the covariates and to confirm that they are balanced across treatment groups. In addition, the analyst should look for important treatment-covariates interactions which might lead to the definition of subsets of patients in which treatment differences were significantly more marked or even reversed.
Highlights
A prognosis is the doctor’s best estimate of how cancer will affect someone
From more than 405960 association rules generated by the data and later the minimum criterion imposed on 0.8 for its support and confidence come out 221 results as can be seen on Figure 3 where the highest support and highest confidence lied on cases 212 to 221
If the premises was each (Stage), (Rx), (Pat no), (Date on-study), (AP) the conclusion were Age,yrs, Wt, Mos FU. It meant that if the premises each was the stage of prostatic cancer, the Rx, Patient Number, Date on-study, and AP (Serum Prostatic Acid) the conclusion were age of the patient, Weight index of the patients, and the number of complete months of follow-up
Summary
Many factors can affect a person’s prognosis. Survival is used to estimate the percentage of people with cancer who will live at least a certain amount of time (such as 1, 3, 5, or 10 years) after their diagnosis [1], [2]. The independent prognostic factors affecting survival were assessed in 240 men undergoing treatment for metastatic prostate cancer as part of a randomized clinical trial comparing the gonadtropi releasing hormone analogue Zoladex (goserelin acetate implant) with castration [3]. Patients with all forms favorable for survival had a 2-year survival rate of 84% as compared with only 8% for patients with none of the few factors favorable for survival, no other factors were significant [3]
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