“Lower abdominal pains, as if I was being squeezed…in a clamp”: A Qualitative Analysis of Symptoms, Patient-Perceived Side Effects and Impacts of Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

Background Understanding the patient's perception of their disease is vital for guiding care decisions. The current study aimed to identify the most predominant experiences in women diagnosed with, and treated for, ovarian cancer in terms of disease-related symptoms, treatment-attributed side effects and their impacts. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews about disease-related symptoms, treatment-attributed side effects and their impacts were conducted with women who were being treated for ovarian cancer in Europe (n = 55) or in the USA (n = 9). The women were also asked to rate the bothersomeness of the symptoms, side effects and impacts that they mentioned during the interview. Symptoms, side effects and impacts were identified from coded interview transcripts using an iterative coding framework. Results Bloating, abdominal pain, tiredness and frequent urination were the most frequently expressed symptoms, and were reported by 72%, 67%, 64% and 55% of women, respectively, which together constituted approximately 30% of all symptom expressions. The most bothersome symptoms were reported as bloating, abdominal pain, pain in the side, tiredness and fatigue. The most frequently expressed side effects were hair loss, neuropathy, tiredness and nausea, which were reported by 84%, 63%, 61% and 61% of women, respectively. The most bothersome reported side effects were constipation, nausea, diarrhoea, pain in general, fatigue, weakness, reduced sleep quality and hair loss. Feelings of anxiety, concerns about the future, physical functioning, work limitations and the adoption of coping strategies were the most frequently expressed impacts and were reported by 72-80% of women. Impacts reported as the most difficult to deal with were concerns about the future, emotional difficulties in general, physical functioning, sexual functioning, negative self-image, fatigue, sleep difficulties, financial burden and work limitations. Conclusions In our qualitative study, the most common and most bothersome experiences reported by women treated for ovarian cancer were symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain and tiredness; side effects of hair loss, nausea and tiredness/ fatigue; and impacts relating to concerns about the future, physical functioning and work limitations. We suggest that clinicians measure these experiences consistently and take them into consideration when making treatment decisions.

Difficulty in Diagnosing Peritoneal Fluid Cytology in Ovarian Yolk Sac Tumor Cases

“…This is caused by the process of cancer cachexia which involves a series of cytokine formation processes by cancer cells. 7,8 The patient's plasma AFP level was 16,519 ng/mL. Razi et al reported a case of ovarian yolk sac tumor with a markedly elevated serum AFP level of 1156 ng/mL.…”

“…Tumor cells resembling various carcinomas can also be difficult in determining the diagnosis of ovarian yolk sac tumor in samples derived from peritoneal fluid. 7,8…”

Suffering experiences of people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A meta‐ethnographic study

“…Supported the third‐order construct: Chircop & Scerri, 2018a Stanze et al, 2019 Wakiuchi et al, 2019b; Noorisanchooli et al, 2018; Komatsu et al, 2019; Chen et al, 2016; de Kruif et al, 2020; Nizamli et al, 2011; Mesquita et al, 2011; Romeiro et al, 2016; Kanda et al, 2017; Guerrero et al, 2011; Buetto & Zago, 2015; Palacios‐Espinosa & Zani, 2014; Buetto & Zago, 2015; Buiting et al, 2013; Chou & Lu, 2019; Boucher et al, 2018; Cebeci et al, 2012; Thornton et al, 2014; Seibaek et al, 2013; Martin et al, 2020; Maree & Mulonda, 2015; Liao et al, 2018; Iddrisu et al, 2020; Kakuta et al, 2015; Wakiuchi et al, 2019a; Mendonça, Pereira, Magnago, Silva, et al, 2020a.…”

“…Supported the third‐order construct: Chircop & Scerri, 2018a; Stanze et al, 2019; Wakiuchi et al, 2019b; Noorisanchooli et al, 2018; Komatsu et al, 2019; Chen et al, 2016; Suwankhong & Liamputtong, 2018; de Kruif et al, 2020; Nizamli et al, 2011; Chircop & Scerri, 2018b; Martinez Tyson et al, 2016; Mesquita et al, 2011; Gómez et al, 2011; Albrecht et al, 2019; Bergqvist & Strang, 2017; Nissim et al, 2013; Nies et al, 2018; Kanda et al, 2017; Guerrero et al, 2011; Beusterien et al, 2013; Ekenberg et al, 2019; Buetto & Zago, 2015; Palacios‐Espinosa & Zani, 2014; Soares et al, 2019; Buiting et al, 2013; Chou & Lu, 2019; Medeiros et al, 2019; Boucher et al, 2018; Cebeci et al, 2012; Seibaek et al, 2013; Ríos‐Quezada & Cruzat‐Mandich, 2015; Martin et al, 2020; Maree & Mulonda, 2015; Lourens, 2013; Liao et al, 2018; Iddrisu et al, 2020; Cheung et al, 2012; Kakuta et al, 2015; Ghodraty‐Jabloo et al, 2016; Finlayson et al, 2019; Chircop & Scerri, 2017; Abdel‐Ghany et al, 2019; Wakiuchi et al, 2019a; Villarreal‐Garza et al, 2019; Mendonça, Pereira, Magnago, Silva, et al, 2020a.…”

Development and validation of the cancer symptoms discrimination scale: a cross-sectional survey of students in Yunnan, China

“…Previous studies have found that the adverse effects of cancer symptoms/side effects in cancer patients mainly include worries about the future, emotional difficulties, decreased physical functions, impaired sexual function, negative self-image, fatigue, sleeping difficulty, financial burden and work limitations [31,32]. According to our own previous research, we hold the opinion that one main cause of cancer discrimination is the discrimination against cancer symptoms in healthy people [33,34].…”