In a study designed to investigate the efficacy of three treatments for melanoma cancer, 912 individuals were identified as candidates for the study from Veterans Administration hospital records. The treatments being studied are excision surgery, excision surgery followed by Interferon Alpha-2B, and a homeopathic treatment.

The goal of this study is to estimate the percentage of melanoma cancer patients surviving at least five years following treatment. The variables age, gender, and race are also recorded for each individual in the study since they are believed to be associated with the survival time of a melanoma patient. The survival time of a patient is recorded when they die before the five year study period is over. Determine

(a) the target population for this study.

(b) the parameter of interest for this study.

(c) the response variable in this study.

(d) the explanatory variables in this study.

(e) the treatments being studied.

(f) whether or not this can be performed as an experiment. Explain.