Functional assessment of differentiated therapeutic approach effectiveness in ovarian cancer treatment: impact on qol and survey results

Abstract

Background. Ovarian cancer presents a formidable challenge, primarily due to the high prevalence of resistance to platinum drugs, which hampers treatment success. Despite notable strides in chemotherapy regimens, over 40% of patients remain unresponsive to initial treatment. Delving into the underexplored realm of functional assessment regarding treatmentʼs impact on patientsʼ quality of life emerges as pivotal for refining therapeutic outcomes and enhancing their well-being. The absence of standardized evaluation methods and limited data underscore the imperative for further investigation into understanding how different treatment modalities influence patientsʼ quality of life. Leveraging questionnaires such as the EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-G proves invaluable in gauging this aspect of healthcare. Integrating the findings of quality of life assessments into clinical practice promises to catalyze the development of optimal therapeutic strategies tailored to enhance the well-being of ovarian cancer patients. Purpose – is to investigate how a tailored therapeutic approach influences the quality of life among patients grappling with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Our focus extends to considering the degree of pharmacoresistance alongside the utilization of varied chemotherapy strategies. Materials and methods. The study was conducted at the University Clinic of the Odessa National Medical University spanning from 2014 to 2024. A cohort of 350 patients diagnosed with stage III-IV ovarian adenocarcinoma, who had undergone cytoreductive surgeries, formed the basis of our research. This investigation adhered to the clinical protocol approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The methodology of our differentiated treatment strategy involved predicting patientsʼ responses to platinum-based therapy, classifying them as platinum-refractory, resistant, or sensitive. Subsequently, patients were categorized into four clinical groups based on the treatment regimens employed. To assess the quality of life, we utilized hierarchical clustering methodology along with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-G questionnaires. Evaluations were conducted at 6 and 12 months post-treatment completion. Results and discussion. Patiens of different groups had different symptoms and side effects: those who received standard chemotherapy had leukopenia and other side effects; those who received doxorubicin complained of nausea and stomatitis. Patients with comprehensive metabolic support had a smaller number of subjective complaints. During the catamnestic follow-up, we detected changes in parameters of quality of life, which may be associated with treatment of ovarian cancer. The differentiated treatment approach led to improvement of quality of life, decrease in side effects, and better well-being of the patients. These changes remained stable for a long period of time after cessation of active treatment, thus encouraging the use of a similar approach in the future. The results confirm the importance of an individualized treatment with metabolic support for achieving better clinical results and improving quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer. Conclusions. Our study underscores the effectiveness of a differentiated therapeutic approach in managing ovarian cancer, considering both pharmacoresistance levels and diverse chemotherapy strategies, thereby enhancing patientsʼ quality of life. Notably, cytoreductive surgeries and varied chemotherapy regimens yielded distinct side effects and symptoms among patients, contingent upon the treatment modalities applied. Encouragingly, post-active treatment phases witnessed a consistent amelioration in patientsʼ quality of life, underscoring the pivotal role of individualized approaches complemented by metabolic support in fostering superior clinical outcomes.