title: Long-term adjustment of early-stage ovarian cancer survivors.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to describe the quality of life (QOL), consequences of treatment, complementary therapy use, and factors correlating with psychologic state in 58 survivors of early-stage ovarian cancer since little is known about the QOL of early-stage ovarian cancer survivors. Survivors were interviewed using standardized measures to assess physical, psychologic, social, and sexual functioning; impact of cancer on socioeconomic status; and complementary therapy use. Survivors reported good physical QOL scores and few unmet needs. However, menopausal symptoms and negative impact on sexuality were reported. Less than 10% of survivors reported either an interest in sex or were sexually active. Psychologic assessment yielded a subset of 26% of patients with scores suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 40% of survivors scored below the norm on the Mental Health Inventory-17 Survey. One third of patients required treatment for family/personal problems and took antianxiety medications. About 56% of survivors reported fear of cancer recurrence and 59% reported anxiety when their CA125 is tested. Better mental health was significantly related to less fatigue (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy [FACT]-fatigue, r = 0.61, P < 0.0001), less pain (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC], r =-0.54, P < 0.0001), fewer stressful life events (Life Event Scale, r =-0.44, P > 0.001), and greater social support (MOS Social Support Survey, r = 0.41, P < 0.01). Early-stage ovarian cancer survivors had few physical complaints and unmet needs, but psychologic distress was evident in a subset of survivors; the majority of survivors reported sexual dysfunction. These results indicate the need for intervention and improved distress screening in the early-stage ovarian cancer population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. ursula_matulonis@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Matulonis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornblith
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Penson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors