Survival Analysis of Breast Cancer Patients in Ghana: Using the Non Parametric and Parametric Approaches.
Abstract
This thesis present the fundamental concept of the non-parametric method which
is the Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank test and the Parametric Proportional Hazard
models which are Exponential, Weibull and the Gompertz proportional model.
The paper applied survival methods to breast cancer patients data from the
Korle Bu teaching and Effia Nkwanta Hospital. The main objective is to become
familiar with the risk factors associated to early death of breast cancer patients.
The proportionality assumptions was assessed and some model diagnostics were
made with some graphical presentations.
The proportionality assumption was satisfied and the models were compared by
the AIC values. Weibull proportional hazard model recorded the lowest AIC value
making it a better model to fit the data set. The thesis considered the variables
treatment, type of cancer, HER2 ,HR, lymph node, lymph number, metastasis,
tumor size, grades, menopause ,age and stages. The variable age, stages and
tumor size was significant at 0.05 significant level.
We suggest that proportionality assumption should be assessed and other less
popular PH models should be considered to provide the best fitted models and
hence a better prediction.
Description
MPhil.
Keywords
Breast Cancer, Non-Parametric Method, Parametric Approache