--- title: "Survival Tables" output: rmarkdown::html_vignette vignette: > %\VignetteIndexEntry{Survival Tables} %\VignetteEngine{knitr::rmarkdown} %\VignetteEncoding{UTF-8} --- ```{r, include = FALSE} knitr::opts_chunk$set( collapse = TRUE, comment = "#>", message = FALSE, warning = FALSE, dpi = 150 ) # Use ragg for better font rendering if available if (requireNamespace("ragg", quietly = TRUE)) { knitr::opts_chunk$set(dev = "ragg_png") } old_opts <- options(width = 180) ``` Survival analysis requires specialized summary tables that report time-to-event outcomes in formats appropriate for longitudinal research. While `desctable()` includes basic survival summaries (median with 95% CI), detailed survival analysis often requires more comprehensive reporting: survival probabilities at specified time points, multiple quantiles, and group comparisons with appropriate statistical tests. The `survtable()` function generates publication-ready survival tables with flexible output options. It uses the familiar `Surv()` syntax for specifying survival outcomes and adheres to the standard `summata` calling convention: ```{r, eval = FALSE} survtable(data, outcome, by, times, probs, ...) ``` where `data` is the dataset, `outcome` specifies the survival endpoint using `Surv()` notation, `by` defines the grouping variable, `times` specifies landmark time points, and `probs` specifies survival quantiles to report. --- # Preliminaries The examples in this vignette use the `clintrial` dataset included with `summata`: ```{r setup} library(summata) library(survival) data(clintrial) data(clintrial_labels) ``` The `clintrial` dataset contains `r nrow(clintrial)` observations with time-to-event variables suitable for demonstrating survival summaries. --- # Landmark Survival Estimates Landmark survival estimates report the probability of survival at specific time points (*e.g.*, 1-year, 2-year survival rates). ## **Example 1:** Basic Landmark Analysis The following example reports survival probabilities at 12, 24, and 36 months (with the default median survival reporting included): ```{r} example1 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24, 36), time_unit = "months" ) example1 ``` ## **Example 2:** Remove Median Survival Column By default, a column showing median survival is displayed (`probs = 0.5`). To remove it, set `probs = NULL`. ```{r} example2 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24), probs = NULL, time_unit = "months", total = FALSE ) example2 ``` --- # Survival Quantiles Survival quantiles report the time at which a specified proportion of subjects have experienced the event. The median survival time (50th percentile) is the most common, but other quantiles provide additional context. ## **Example 3:** Survival Quartiles Report multiple survival quantiles by specifying the `probs` parameter: ```{r} example3 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "stage", times = NULL, probs = c(0.25, 0.5, 0.75), labels = clintrial_labels ) example3 ``` --- # Multiple Endpoints Studies often include multiple time-to-event outcomes, such as progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The `survtable()` function handles multiple endpoints in a single call. ## **Example 4:** PFS and OS Comparison Pass a vector of outcomes to compare multiple survival endpoints: ```{r} example4 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = c("Surv(pfs_months, pfs_status)", "Surv(os_months, os_status)"), by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24), probs = 0.5, time_unit = "months", total = FALSE, labels = c( "Surv(pfs_months, pfs_status)" = "Progression-Free Survival", "Surv(os_months, os_status)" = "Overall Survival" ) ) example4 ``` --- # Output Variations ## **Example 5:** Cumulative Event Rates For competing risks analyses or when reporting event rates rather than survival probabilities, use `type = "risk"` to display cumulative incidence (1 − survival): ```{r} example5 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24, 36), type = "risk", time_unit = "months" ) example5 ``` ## **Example 6:** Including At-Risk Counts The number at risk at each time point provides context for the precision of survival estimates: ```{r} example6 <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24), stats = c("survival", "ci", "n_risk"), time_unit = "months", total = FALSE ) example6 ``` --- # Pairing with Kaplan-Meier Curves Survival tables are often presented alongside Kaplan-Meier curves in publications. While `summata` focuses on tabular output, the `survminer` and `ggsurvfit` packages provide excellent options for survival curves. ## **Example 7:** Coordinated Figure-Table Output The following workflow produces a matched figure-table pair suitable for publication: ```{r, eval = FALSE} library(ggsurvfit) library(survival) # Fit the survival model km_fit <- survfit(Surv(os_months, os_status) ~ treatment, data = clintrial) # Create Kaplan-Meier plot with risk table ggsurvfit(km_fit) + add_confidence_interval() + add_risktable() + add_quantile(y_value = 0.5, linetype = "dashed") + scale_ggsurvfit() + labs( title = "Overall Survival by Treatment", x = "Time (months)", y = "Survival Probability" ) + theme_minimal() # Generate the companion table surv_table <- survtable( data = clintrial, outcome = "Surv(os_months, os_status)", by = "treatment", times = c(12, 24, 36), probs = 0.5, time_unit = "months" ) # Export both for publication ggsave(file.path(tempdir(), "km_curve.pdf"), width = 8, height = 6) table2pdf(surv_table, file.path(tempdir(), "survival_table.pdf"), caption = "Table 2. Survival Estimates by Treatment Group") ``` This workflow ensures that the Kaplan-Meier curve and survival table report consistent time points and groupings. --- # Exporting Tables Survival tables can be exported to various formats using the standard `summata` export functions. See the [Table Export](table_export.html) vignette for comprehensive documentation. ```{r, eval = FALSE} # Microsoft Word table2docx( table = example1, file = file.path(tempdir(), "SurvivalTable.docx"), caption = "Table 2. Survival Estimates by Treatment Group" ) # PDF (requires LaTeX) table2pdf( table = example1, file = file.path(tempdir(), "SurvivalTable.pdf"), caption = "Table 2. Survival Estimates by Treatment Group" ) ``` --- # Best Practices ## Time Point Selection When selecting landmark time points, consider the following: 1. Use clinically meaningful intervals (e.g., 1-year, 2-year for oncology) 2. Ensure adequate follow-up at selected time points 3. Match time points across treatment arms for comparability 4. Consider the median follow-up when selecting the latest time point ## Reporting Recommendations 1. Always report confidence intervals alongside point estimates 2. Include the number at risk when space permits 3. Specify the time unit in table headers or footnotes 4. Use consistent decimal precision across estimates ```{r, include = FALSE} options(old_opts) ``` --- # Further Reading - [Descriptive Tables](descriptive_tables.html): `desctable()` for baseline characteristics - [Regression Modeling](regression_modeling.html): `fit()`, `uniscreen()`, and `fullfit()` - [Model Comparison](model_comparison.html): `compfit()` for comparing models - [Table Export](table_export.html): Export to PDF, Word, and other formats - [Forest Plots](forest_plots.html): Visualization of regression results - [Multivariate Regression](multivariate_regression.html): `multifit()` for multi-outcome analysis - [Advanced Workflows](advanced_workflows.html): Interactions and mixed-effects models