Single Biggest Cancer Dictionary in the World

What is overall survival?

Pronunciation: /ˈoʊvərˌɔl sərˈvaɪvəl/

overall survival

Definition

The length of time from either the date of diagnosis or the start of treatment for a disease, such as cancer, that patients diagnosed with the disease are still alive. In a clinical trial, measuring the overall survival is one way to see how well a new treatment works. Also called OS.