Quality of life in long-term survivors of ovarian germ cell tumors: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Abstract

Purpose: This report describes the strength and significance of the association between antecedent and mediating variables across four categories of quality of life (QOL) outcomes in 132 disease free women with ovarian germ cell survivors.

Methods: Survivors (n=132) participated in a mailed questionnaire and computer-assisted telephone survey. Participants in four prospective GOG protocols were contacted their treating physician for verbal consent to be approached by investigators at the Indiana University Cancer Center about a quality of life study. Similar patients treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center were also included. If women verbally consented after being contacted by investigators at Indiana University, an informed consent and questionnaire packet was sent via mail. After return of the written informed consent and background questionnaire, a trained research assistant scheduled a computer-assisted interview to complete data collection.

Results: Median follow-up from diagnosis was 10.2 years. Mediating variables of self-efficacy or social support played a significant role (p=0.05 to p=0.001) in all four QOL categories: physical functioning, psychological functioning, sexual functioning, and spiritual functioning. Being a younger age at diagnosis and married were positively related to sexual functioning (p=0.05). Menstrual and gynecological symptoms were inversely related.

Implications: Results indicate that clinicians may want to be especially sensitive to identifying a survivor's social support and confidence (self efficacy) in handling issues evolving from treatment since these skills may be related to overall quality of life outcomes.

Figure 1

Theoretical Framework