Weighted Log-Rank Statistics for Accelerated Failure Time Model

Abstract

This paper improves the sensitivity of the Gρ family of weighted log-rank tests for the accelerated failure time model, accommodating realistic alternatives in survival analysis with censored data, such as heavy censoring and crossing hazards. The procedures are based on a weight function with the censoring proportion incorporated as a component. Extensive simulations show that the weight function enhances the performance of the Gρ family, increasing its sensitivity and flexibility. The weight function method is illustrated with an example concerning vaginal cancer.

Keywords

• accelerated failure time
• censored data
• Kaplan–Meier estimators
• log-rank test
• two-sample problem