Evaluating patient-reported symptoms and late adverse effects following completion of first-line chemotherapy for ovarian cancer using the MOST (Measure of Ovarian Symptoms and Treatment concerns)

Objectives. Knowledge on the course of symptoms patients with ovarian cancer experience is limited. We documented the prevalence and trajectories of symptoms after first-line chemotherapy using the Measure of Ovarian Symptoms and Treatment concerns (MOST). Methods. A total of 726 patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy for ovarian cancer were asked to complete the MOST every 3 months, beginning 6 months post-diagnosis and continuing for up to 4 years. We used descriptive statistics to examine temporal changes in MOST-S26 index scores for disease or treatment related (MOST-DorT), neurotoxicity (MOST-NTx), abdominal (MOST-Abdo), and psychological (MOST-Psych) symptoms, and wellbeing (MOST-Wellbeing) and selected individual symptoms. We used group-based trajectory models to identify groups with persistently poor symptoms. Results. The median MOST-Abdo, MOST-DorT and MOST-Wellbeing score were worst at chemotherapy end but improved and stabilised by 1, 3 and 12 months after treatment, respectively. The median MOSTNTx score peaked at 1 month after treatment before improving, while the median MOST-Psych score did not change substantially over time. Long-term moderate-to-severe fatigue (32% ), trouble sleeping (31% ), sore hands and feet (2 1%), pins and needles (20%) and anxiety (18%) were common. Trajectory models revealed groups of patients with persistent symptoms had MOST-DorT scores above 30 and MOST-NT x scores above 40 at treatment-end.

Automated summary

This study documented the prevalence and trajectories of symptoms experienced by ovarian cancer patients after first-line chemotherapy. The findings showed that abdominal symptoms were worst at chemotherapy end but improved over time. Neurotoxicity symptoms peaked at 1 month after treatment before improving. Long-term fatigue, trouble sleeping, sore hands and feet, pins and needles, and anxiety were common symptoms.