SUrrogates for Mortality in cancer Screening trials
The SUrrogates for Mortality in cancer Screening trials (SUMS) systematic review will review the literature on cancer screening trials that reported information on death rates for specific cancers. We will look for outcomes (e.g. cancer characteristics like cancer stage) that can be assessed at an earlier time point and could be used to predict these deaths. These are also known as surrogate endpoints.
The full protocol for this project is available here.
Surrogate endpoints are important in cancer screening. They can help tell us earlier if finding a cancer earlier through screening will extend life.
We will work with experts to find potential surrogate endpoints across all cancers. We will then assess the different surrogates specific to each cancer.
There will be two benefits to this work:
1. A surrogate endpoint may suggest that the test or trial will not have an effect on cancer-related death. This is known as futility. If this happens, we will be able to stop the trial early and stop funding for similar trials. It may also help us find ineffective tests.
2. It can help us to act sooner. If a surrogate endpoint shows that cancer screening is likely to prevent or delay cancer death, policy makers could act before waiting for the end of a trial. This is called sufficiency. Being able to act sooner will help prepare for the introduction of promising new interventions. Planning can be made for how we could put in place screening and start pilot programmes while the original trial continues.