No! The Kaplan-Meier Survival Analysis is more than a step curve. While the
result looks like a step chart, the calculation of the values requires a
specific survival analysis technique and handling of censored data.

See this link for the basics:
http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/d...ier.html#Basic
idea

Note that the author explains that a program (language not specified) was
used to calculate the values which were plotted in Excel.
The Kaplan -Meier curve for censored data requires a marker for sections
with censored data. This is not typical of a step chart.

Here's another example of a Kalplan-Meier curve:
http://www.bmj.com/content/vol317/is...rvprob.f1.jpeg
Again, while it looks like as step chart, it also has the censored data
markers.

Here's a link to a full Kaplan-Meier analysis including standard error
calculations and mean survival times with 95% confidence intervals.
http://www.childrens-mercy.org/stats/model/survival.asp

As Tamino http://tamino.wordpress.com/2008/12/...-relationship/ at
Open Mind recently discussed the use of Excel and R and his concern that
" Any idiot can load data into Excel and fit ..." . Care in developing and
applying techniques is required.

Kelly O'Day
http://processtrends.com



"Jon Peltier" wrote in message
...
Isn't a Kaplan-Meier curve really a step chart?

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ChartsHowTo/StepChart.html
http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/200...vs-step-chart/

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
_______



"TC2004" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to draw Kaplan Meier survival curves in Excel without
using an
add-in?

The main difference between these and a normal line plot are that the
line
should fall straight down toward the x-axis after each data point rather
than
connecting one data point with the next on a diagonal.

Thanks.