title: Health-related quality of life during sequential chemotherapy with carboplatin followed by weekly paclitaxel in advanced ovarian cancer: a multicenter phase ii study of the North Eastern German Society of Gynecological Oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe the impact of a sequential dose-dense schedule of carboplatin and paclitaxel on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this multicenter phase II trial, four cycles of carboplatin followed by 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel were applied after cytoreductive surgery. QoL was assessed using the QoL questionnaires EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OV28 before chemotherapy (baseline), after four cycles of carboplatin, at the end of treatment (EOT), and after 6, 12, and 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 104 eligible patients 87 (84%) participated in at least one QoL assessment. At baseline, all QLQ-C30 scales and symptoms were significantly worse than age-adjusted values for the general population. Subsequently QoL improved in general. During chemotherapy with paclitaxel, most functioning scales and symptoms worsened slightly (not significantly). However, peripheral neuropathy and chemotherapy-related side-effects increased to clinically important levels. At the end of treatment, most QoL scores were similar to those of the general population, but physical functioning and fatigue were worse. Sexual functioning and peripheral neuropathy remained problematic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QoL was affected mainly by the weekly paclitaxel schedule, but effects were in most cases only temporary. A dose-dense regimen using a sequential protocol may be favourable in terms of QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Charité - Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin University Medicine, Berlin, Germany. rolf.richter@charite.de
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Guelten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oskay-Oezcelik
authors.forename: Radoslav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chekerov
authors.forename: Adak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilger
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hindenburg
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Einenkel
authors.forename: Jalid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sehouli
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel