skip to main content

HR vs Median Discordance — SCE Medical Oncology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardClinical Trials & StatisticsHR vs Median DiscordanceSCE Medical Oncology

An immunotherapy trial shows delayed separation and then crossing of overall-survival curves; a Schoenfeld-residual test rejects proportional hazards. Which prespecified summary gives the most directly interpretable average survival gain over the first 24 months without assuming proportional hazards?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D — The 24-month restricted mean survival-time difference

Explanation lettering: B = shown as A · C = shown as B · D = shown as C · E = shown as D · A = shown as E

E is correct because RMST is the area under each survival curve to 24 months and does not require proportional hazards. A is hard to interpret when hazards vary; B discards the rest of the curve; C ignores event timing and censoring; D creates a biased post-hoc analysis.

Reference: Restricted mean survival time as an alternative to the hazard ratio (BMC Medical Research Methodology 2014): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3922847/