Objectives: To define and discuss surrogate endpoint biomarkers, which are used in therapeutic trials as a substitute for the clinically meaningful "true" endpoint; and hence, may be used in answering cancer prevention questions in clinical trials evaluating drug/nutrient interventions for a number of common cancer sites.
Data sources: Literature, research articles.
Conclusion: Surrogate endpoint biomarkers offer greater efficiency in clinical studies because they may allow for the generation of useful results from studies that are of shorter duration using smaller numbers of study participants in clinical trials for treatment and prevention of cancer.
Implication for nursing practice: Continual changes in the science of cancer diagnosis and prevention demand rigorous scientific knowledge of the professional nurse to optimize the outcome of cancer prevention drug/agent development and the delivery of evidence-based care.
Published by Elsevier Inc.