Have you ever read a cancer research update and felt like you needed a medical dictionary to understand it? You’re not alone. Clinical trials come with plenty of scientific jargon, but the ideas behind the terminology are often much simpler than they sound.
Clinical trials are essential to finding better ways to treat cancer and improve people’s lives. But when researchers report their findings, terms like progression-free survival and overall response rate can make it difficult to understand what the results actually mean for patients.
So, to help you navigate the science, we’re translating some of the most common clinical trial terms into everyday language to help you make sense of cancer research and understand what it all means.
What do the results tell us?
When researchers report overall survival (OS), they’re talking about how long patients live. It’s an important measure because it helps researchers understand whether a treatment affects how long people live.
Progression-free survival (PFS) describes how long people live without their cancer getting worse. This could mean the cancer hasn’t grown or spread further, even if it hasn’t disappeared completely.
Recurrence-free survival (RFS) measures how long people live without their cancer coming back after treatment. It’s particularly relevant when treatment aims to remove or eliminate the cancer.
Metastasis-free survival (MFS) measures how long people live without their cancer spreading to other parts of the body. This is especially important in cancers where preventing the disease from spreading is a major treatment goal.
Researchers also look at overall response rate (ORR), which tells us how often a treatment causes tumours to shrink or disappear. A response doesn’t necessarily mean the cancer has been cured, but it can help researchers understand whether a treatment is having an effect.
Understanding the treatment
You might also come across terms describing the type of treatment being studied.
A phase 3 trial is a large study that compares treatments to help researchers understand how well a new treatment works, often against the treatment already in use. These trials provide important evidence to help guide decisions about future cancer care.
Adjuvant therapy means extra treatment is given after the main treatment to reduce the risk of cancer returning. For example, someone might receive additional treatment after surgery.
First-line treatment is the first treatment a patient receives for their cancer. If that treatment stops working or isn’t suitable, other treatment options may be considered.
Metastatic disease simply means cancer that has spread from where it first started to another part of the body.
Finally, and one of the most frequently used terms, is standard of care. This refers to the treatment doctors usually recommend or use for a particular cancer or situation, based on current evidence and clinical guidelines. It often serves as the comparison when researchers test a new treatment.
Why does understanding the language matter?
Clinical trial results can help shape future cancer treatments, but the terminology shouldn’t be a barrier to understanding what the research means.
It’s also important to remember that no single result tells the whole story. A treatment that helps people live longer without their cancer spreading, for example, doesn’t automatically mean it helps them live longer overall. Researchers consider different measures, along with side effects and quality of life, to understand the benefits and risks of a treatment.
At ANZUP, we support clinical trials that aim to improve the lives of people affected by bladder, kidney, testicular, penile and prostate cancers.
By making research easier to understand, we can help more people feel informed, ask questions and take part in conversations about cancer care.