Assessing Overall Survival and Safety Data

Because ASCENT-03 allowed crossover and more than half of patients received subsequent therapy, overall survival is unlikely to show a statistically significant difference, even if a clinical benefit exists. Clinicians often interpret the survival data in this context, recognizing that progression-free survival and duration of response may better reflect the true treatment effect. Safety data revealed the importance of prophylaxis with G-CSF and the importance of pharmacists in monitoring for adverse events.