Estimating a survival function with incomplete cause-of-death data

Abstract

We propose a random censorship model which permits uncertainty in the cause of death assessments for a subset of the subjects in a survival experiment. A nonparametric maximum likelihood approach and a “self-consistency” approach are considered. The solution sets corresponding to both approaches are found. They are infinite and identical. Only some of the solutions are consistent; i.e., the MLEs and self-consistent estimators are not consistent in general. Two estimates are thus proposed and their asymptotic properties are studied. It is shown that both estimates are strongly consistent and converge to Gaussian processes. The covariance structures of these Gaussian processes are derived.