Only using cumulative lifetime event risks may understate the impact of an up-front treatment given that a larger proportion of risk is assumed at an earlier age, when more years of life are in jeopardy. RWI offers an alternative approach to thinking about risk, using the same inputs (event probabilities and life expectancy) to compare estimated patient impact. RWI is more aligned with clinical objectives and is a valuable metric for risk assessment and decision making.
Schnurman et al. (Thu,) studied this question.