The Effect of Prolonged Cycles of Chemotherapy on Quality of Life in Gynaecologic Cancer Patients

Abstract

In conclusion, the prescription of prolonged cycles of chemotherapy to patients with gynaecologic cancers does not result in an overall deterioration of QOL. Further more an improvement in subscale and overall QOL was demonstrated in those patients able to attain a complete clinical response (CCR).

Quality of Life in Ovarian Cancer Patients Choosing to Receive Salvage Chemotherapy or Palliative Treatment

“…On the contrary, Carter et al (1997) reported no significant alterations on HRQL when prolonged chemotherapy was administered. Patnaik et al (1998) found that the role of chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer was effective in improving quality of life in at least half of the patients, even though only approximately one fourth of patients had an objective response to their disease.…”

Prospective Assessment of Quality of Life of Female Cancer Patients

“…Patients with advanced disease who received chemotherapy for at least 1 year showed a significant deterioration in QOL [13]. In contrast, Carter et al [14] found QOL improvements in patients with ovarian cancer receiving second-or third-line chemotherapy. There was a sustained improvement in emotional and global health status and pain control even in women receiving more than six cycles.…”

“…Oncological therapies have a profound impact on the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients resulting in long-term behavioral disruptions and emotional distress [1,2]. Significant effects of irradiation and chemotherapy on QOL have been reported in several studies [3][4][5]. Approximately one-third of women with breast cancer experience a psychological burden, including depressive mood [6].…”

Quality of life in Chinese women with gynaecological cancers

“…In the last-mentioned study physical complications were more evident in the older group of patients, while younger survivors had more psychological problems. Also, QOL may be related to the disease status and the number of chemotherapy cycles patients are prescribed [8], functional status as judged by the Karnofsky index [21] or pain [37]. One of the major shortcomings of past studies, however, is that the samples were made up mainly of women with advanced disease.…”