title: Assessment and significance of quality of life in women with gynecologic cancer.
abstract: In the design of randomized clinical trials, quality of life (QOL) has become an important component across multiple cancer types. QOL includes the measurement of patient-reported outcomes, mostly described as the physical, social, emotional and functional wellbeing of the patient. These realms of wellbeing are reported by the patient themself and are thought to be a subjective measurement of response to treatment and/or treatment outcomes. Therapeutic interventions such as chemotherapy and/or radiation can thus be monitored from a patient perspective. In addition, while researchers and oncologists may recognize the futility of advanced and/or recurrent cancer therapy in the setting of reduced QOL, patients may have difficulty with discontinuing therapy. QOL research adds to the literature by introducing a patient perspective into the decision to treat aggressively. Specifically, in gynecologic cancers, there is a wide range of outcomes and patient characteristics to be considered. All three cancer settings - endometrial, cervical and ovarian - are remarkable in the QOL literature as this is a relatively new field with room to create interventions targeted towards improving QOL in often challenging clinical and life situations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Building 56 Room 262, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
authors.forename: Dana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chase
authors.forename: Tawny
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Monk
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life