scholarly journals Experience and Expectations of Ovarian Cancer Patients in Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Holliday ◽  
Maria Morte ◽  
Josephine M. Byrne ◽  
Anne T. Holliday

Some of the most significant advances in ovarian cancer treatment have been those that result in improvements in progression-free survival (PFS); however there is little research to understand the value that patients place on accessing therapies that result in PFS as a clinical outcome related to survivorship. This study therefore aimed to understand the experience and expectations of women with ovarian cancer in Australia in relation to quality of life (QoL) and treatment options. An online survey collected demographic information and 13 investigator-derived structured interview questions were developed to understand the experience of women with ovarian cancer, their understanding of terminology associated with their condition, and expectations of future treatment. This study demonstrated that ovarian cancer patients equate PFS with being in remission and that patients expect QoL during that time to be good to excellent. Women in this study described excellent QoL as feeling positive and happy and not worrying about cancer, feeling fit and healthy without side effects, and being able to live life as they did before their diagnosis, including the absence of fear of progression or recurrence. It is therefore suggested that there is a positive relationship between PFS and QoL. While it is difficult to quantify QoL and further research is needed, the results of this study suggest that the minimum time that women with ovarian cancer expect in relation to treatments that result in PFS is approximately six months. In the absence of this information, decision-makers are left to make assumptions about the value women place on access to therapeutics that increase PFS, which for this type of cancer is an important aspect of survivorship.

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elfriede R. Greimel ◽  
Vesna Bjelic-Radisic ◽  
Jacobus Pfisterer ◽  
Felix Hilpert ◽  
Fedor Daghofer ◽  
...  

Purpose The objective of this study was to compare the quality of life (QoL) of ovarian cancer patients treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin (TC) versus paclitaxel/cisplatin (PT) and to determine the impact of treatment toxicity on the various QoL domains. Patients and Methods In this phase III trial, 798 patients with ovarian cancer stages IIB-IV were randomly assigned to receive TC or PT. The primary end point was progression-free survival; secondary end points included toxicity, QoL, and response to treatment. Patients completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 before treatment, within 3 days before the second and the fourth chemotherapy cycle, and 3 weeks after completion of chemotherapy. Results Previously reported data showed that patients undergoing TC or PT did not differ in progression-free survival and overall survival. However, the TC arm was superior, indicating a better overall QoL compared with the PT arm. Controlling for toxicity and age, a significant treatment by assessment time interaction was found for four QoL functioning scales and three symptoms scales. Patients in the TC arm showed better means scores after treatment on overall QoL (P = .012), physical functioning (P = .012), role functioning (P = .005), and cognitive functioning (P = .024), compared with the PT arm. Concerning symptom experience, patients undergoing TC showed less nausea and vomiting (P < .001), less appetite loss (P < .001), and less fatigue (P = .033) after completion of treatment compared with patients undergoing PT. Conclusion The TC regimen achieved better QoL outcomes compared with the PT regimen. Thus, clinicians may consider replacing cisplatin with carboplatin when treating ovarian cancer patients with chemotherapy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 904-909
Author(s):  
Brooke A Schlappe ◽  
Qin C Zhou ◽  
Roisin O'Cearbhaill ◽  
Alexia Iasonos ◽  
Robert A Soslow ◽  
...  

ObjectiveWe described progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with primary mucinous ovarian cancer receiving adjuvant gynecologic versus gastrointestinal chemotherapy regimens.MethodsWe identified all primary mucinous ovarian cancer patients receiving adjuvant gynecologic or gastrointestinal chemotherapy regimens at a single institution from 1994 to 2016. Gynecologic pathologists using strict pathologic/clinical criteria determined diagnosis. Adjuvant therapy was coded as gynecologic or gastrointestinal based on standard agents and schedules. Clinical/pathologic/treatment characteristics were recorded. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for continuous variables, and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. Progression-free and overall survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, applying landmark analysis.ResultsOf 62 patients identified, 21 received adjuvant chemotherapy: 12 gynecologic, 9 gastrointestinal. Median age (in years) at diagnosis: 58 (range 25–68) gynecologic cohort, 38 (range 32–68) gastrointestinal cohort (p=0.13). Median body mass index at first post-operative visit: 25 kg/m2(range 18–31) gynecologic cohort, 23 kg/m2(range 18–31) gastrointestinal cohort (p=0.23). History of smoking: 6/12 (50%) gynecologic cohort, 3/9 (33%) gastrointestinal cohort (p=0.66). Stage distribution in gynecologic and gastrointestinal cohorts, respectively: stage I: 9/12 (75%) and 3/9 (33%); stage II: 2/12 (17%) and 1/9 (11%); stage III: 1/12 (8%) and 5/9 (56%) (p=0.06). Grade distribution in gynecologic and gastrointestinal cohorts, respectively: grade 1: 8/12 (67%) and 1/9 (13%); grade 2/3: 4/12 (33%) and 7/9 (88%) (p=0.03). Three-year progression-free survival: 90.9% (95% CI 50.8% to 98.7 %) gynecologic, 53.3% (95% CI 17.7% to 79.6%) gastrointestinal. Three-year overall survival: 90.9% (95% CI 50.8% to 98.7%) gynecologic, 76.2% (95% CI 33.2% to 93.5%) gastrointestinal.ConclusionOngoing international collaborative research may further define associations between chemotherapy regimens and survival.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aminah Jatoi ◽  
Nathan R. Foster ◽  
Kimberly R. Kalli ◽  
Robert A. Vierkant ◽  
Zhiying Zhang ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 3176-3182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalid Sehouli ◽  
Dirk Stengel ◽  
Guelten Oskay-Oezcelik ◽  
Alain G. Zeimet ◽  
Harald Sommer ◽  
...  

PurposeThe management of recurrent ovarian cancer remains controversial. Single-agent topotecan is an established treatment option, and preliminary evidence suggests improved tumor control by combining topotecan with etoposide or gemcitabine.Patients and MethodsWomen with relapsed ovarian cancer after primary surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy were randomly assigned to topotecan monotherapy 1.25 mg/m2/d, topotecan 1.0 mg/m2plus oral etoposide 50 mg/d, or topotecan 0.5 mg/m2/d plus gemcitabine 800 mg/m2on day 1 and 600 mg/m2on day 8 every 3 weeks. Patients were stratified for platinum-refractory and platinum-sensitive disease according to a recurrence-free interval of less or more than 12 months, respectively. The primary end point was overall survival. Secondary end points included progression-free survival, objective response rates, toxicity, and quality of life (as measured by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC] 30-item Quality-of-Life Questionnaire).ResultsThe trial enrolled 502 patients with a mean age of 60.5 years (± 10.2 years), 208 of whom were platinum resistant. Median overall survival was 17.2 months (95% CI, 13.5 to 21.9 months) with topotecan, 17.8 months (95% CI, 13.7 to 20.0 months) with topotecan plus etoposide (log-rank P = .7647), and 15.2 months (95% CI, 11.3 to 20.9 months) with topotecan plus gemcitabine (log-rank P = .2344). Platinum-sensitive patients lived significantly longer than platinum-refractory patients (21.9 v 10.6 months). The median progression-free survival was 7.0, 7.8, and 6.3 months, respectively. Objective response rates were 27.8%, 36.1%, and 31.6%, respectively. Patients under combined treatment were at higher risk of severe thrombocytopenia.ConclusionNonplatinum topotecan combinations do not provide a survival advantage over topotecan alone in women with relapsed ovarian cancer.


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