Patient-reported outcomes as end points and outcome indicators in solid tumours

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures, such as quality of life, have been associated with relevant clinical end points and are prognostic for survival outcomes in a variety of solid cancers in adults. In the past few years, PROs have garnered a greater influence as established and clinically relevant measures that could alter the current paradigm of practice-changing therapeutic advances, as it has been recognized that classic clinical end points do not accurately portray a full appreciation of the benefits, risks and costs of therapy. In this Review, we comprehensively assess the correlation of PROs with treatment response and survival, and explore tumour-related and patient-centric composite end points in patients with cancer participating in clinical trials. Comparisons or composite end points that consider tumour-related and PRO components might help health-care providers, patients with cancer and decision makers to better understand the total clinical benefit of therapeutic interventions.