[Painting by number--Survival curves and Kaplan-Meier method].

Survival curves plot percent survival as a function of time. Results of clinical trials are often presented as survival curves. However, the purpose of survival analysis is not, as the name suggests, limited to "survival". Rather, it can concern the time to any defined event, desired or undesired. The me- thod behind these curves may be tricky; "reading" of the curves, however, is simple and intuitive. And with a few basic skills misinterpretations can usually be avoided.