Quality-of-Life Study of Patients With Previously Treated Ovarian Cancer

RATIONALE: Quality-of-life assessment of patients undergoing cancer treatment may help determine the intermediate- and long-term effects of treatment in patients with cancer. PURPOSE: This clinical trial studies the quality of life in patients with previously treated ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare quality of life in terms of health status, sexual functioning, psychological/emotional well being, and social functioning in ovarian germ cell cancer survivors vs a matched healthy control group. II. Predict quality of life in these patients through the additive effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment, sociodemographic characteristics, other stressors, and social network variables. OUTLINE: Patients identify up to 3 healthy acquaintance controls within 3 years of the same age. Patients and controls complete a written questionnaire, which takes about 30 minutes, and a telephone interview, which takes about 1 hour, to assess quality of life. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 190 patients and 190 healthy controls will be accrued for this study within 2 years.

stage I ovarian germ cell tumor, stage II ovarian germ cell tumor, stage III ovarian germ cell tumor, stage IV ovarian germ cell tumor, recurrent ovarian germ cell tumor

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: History of early or advanced ovarian germ cell tumors Continuously disease free for at least 2 years prior to study Must have been enrolled on GOG protocols 45, 78, 90, and 116 or similar protocols of cisplatin-based chemotherapy at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Other: Must be able to complete a written questionnaire and telephone interview in English PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified

Monahan PO, Champion VL, Zhao Q, Miller AM, Gershenson D, Williams SD, Cella D. Case-control comparison of quality of life in long-term ovarian germ cell tumor survivors: a gynecologic oncology group study. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2008;26(3):19-42. doi: 10.1080/07347330802115715.

Williams SD, Miller AM, Cella D, et al.: Relationship issues and sexual functioning in ovarian germ cell cancer survivors. [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 20: A-845, 2001.