Quality of life assessments in epithelial ovarian cancer patients during and after chemotherapy

To study the immediate and long-term effects of chemotherapy on quality of life (QoL) of advanced ovarian cancer patients. All consecutive patients undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic ovarian cancer and those presenting for follow-up post chemotherapy were recruited. Participants were asked to fill out a short QoL questionnaire (Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Ovarian) during each clinic visit. Two-factor analysis of variance analyses were used to examine the effects of chemotherapy treatment and current disease status on QoL scores. Ninety-four patients on chemotherapy and 159 follow-up patients participated. Patients on chemotherapy for recurrent disease had a significantly worsened overall, emotional, and ovarian cancer-specific concerns QoL scores compared to those receiving first-line chemotherapy. There were favorable significant differences between those on follow-up compared to those on chemotherapy in the mean overall QoL scores and in the means of physical, functional, and concern scores. There were significant differences favoring patients with complete response compared to those with partial response or progressive disease in the mean overall QoL scores as well as the physical, emotional, functional, and concern domains mean scores. There were improvements in most QoL measures after completion of chemotherapy. Complete disease remission remained important in maintaining improved QoL.