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.

Aim: 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. Patients and 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. Conclusion: 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.