title: Assessment of factors that contribute to decreased quality of life in Gynecologic Oncology Group ovarian cancer trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to assess which quality-of-life (QOL) line items on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O) were associated with low QOL in women who were receiving chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer on Gynecologic Oncology Group Protocols 152 and 172 who underwent primary surgery followed by intravenous paclitaxel and cisplatin completed the FACT-O. The FACT scale includes the 4 domains of physical, functional, social, and emotional well being (PWB, FWB, SWB, EWB, respectively). Women who had overall FACT-O scores in the lowest quartile (Q1) were compared with women in the upper 3 quartiles (Q2-Q4). The proportions of women in each group that selected the 2 worst categories for each item were compared. The level of significance was set at P<.005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before Cycle 4, 361 patients (86.4%) provided valid QOL assessments. For PWB, a significantly greater proportion of women in Q1 versus Q2 through Q4 selected the 2 worst categories of several physical symptoms (nausea, pain, feeling ill, and being bothered by the side effects of treatment). For FWB, significant differences included being able to work, being content with the quality of their life, and sleeping well. For EWB, there were significant differences in feeling nervous and worrying about dying. There were virtually no differences between groups in SWB. Low interest in sex was reported by 56% to 88% of all patients (Q1-Q4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large proportion of women with FACT-O scores in the lowest quartile reported problems that potentially were amenable to clinical interventions, such as symptom management and psychosocial support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. vivian.vongruenigen@uhhospitals.org
authors.forename: Vivian E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: von Gruenigen
authors.forename: Helen Q
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Heidi E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Monk
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Deborah K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.forename: Lari
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wenzel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin
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