Promotion Time Cure Rate Model with Bivariate Random Effects.

In this article, we consider the inclusion of random effects in both the survival function for at-risk subjects and the cure probability assuming a bivariate normal distribution for those effects in each cluster. For parameter estimation, we implemented the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) approach. We consider Weibull and Piecewise Exponential distributions to model the survival function for non-cured individuals. Simulation studies are performed, and based on a real database we evaluate the performance of our proposed model. Effect of different follow-up times and the effect of considering independent random effects instead of bivariate random effects are also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]