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Rankings and symptom assessments of side effects from chemotherapy: insights from experienced patients with ovarian cancer

Although many patients with ovarian cancer achieve favorable responses to primary chemotherapy, the majority of women will experience recurrence of their cancer. Selection of second- or third-line chemotherapy ultimately depends on patient preferences for different side effects. To better understand...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2005-04, Vol.13 (4), p.219-227
Main Authors: Sun, Charlotte C, Bodurka, Diane C, Weaver, Candice B, Rasu, Rafia, Wolf, Judith K, Bevers, Michael W, Smith, Judith A, Wharton, J Taylor, Rubenstein, Edward B
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Although many patients with ovarian cancer achieve favorable responses to primary chemotherapy, the majority of women will experience recurrence of their cancer. Selection of second- or third-line chemotherapy ultimately depends on patient preferences for different side effects. To better understand this process, we evaluated preferences and symptom distress in patients with ovarian cancer. A total of 70 women with ovarian cancer who had previously received at least three cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy and currently undergoing chemotherapy for newly diagnosed or recurrent disease were interviewed in an outpatient chemotherapy clinic. The patients were asked to rank order 27 health states using a modified visual analog scale and to complete the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS). Most favorable health states included perfect health, clinical remission and complete control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Least favorable health states included more severe CINV health states and death. Patients on first-line chemotherapy had less symptom distress, and rated sexual dysfunction, fatigue and memory loss more favorably than patients on second- or third-line chemotherapy (P
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-004-0710-6