PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 523 - 10 Mar 2007

QOL aspects in endometrial-cancertreatment: WAI vs chemotherapyPatients with advanced endometrial cancer treated

with either whole abdominal irradiation (WAI) orcombination chemotherapy experience worsening inspecific aspects of QOL during treatment and≤ 6 months thereafter, report US-based researchers.

They used data for 317 patients enrolled in amulticentre phase III trial. Within 8 weeks of surgery,patients were randomised to receive either WAI oncedaily 5 days/week at a total dose of 30 Gy plus a pelvicboost of 15 Gy (n = 163), or combination chemotherapywith IV doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 and cisplatin 50 mg/m2

every 3 weeks for 7 cycles followed by IV cisplatin 50mg/m2 for 1 cycle.

The group receiving chemotherapy had a significantsurvival benefit, but marked persisting peripheralneuropathy was common, as indicated by significantlyhigher APN* scores at all time points, compared withthose receiving WAI. In the WAI group, fatigue was morecommonly reported, as indicated by higher FS** scoresat the end of treatment, which returned to pretreatmentlevels 3 months post-treatment. Furthermore, WAIpatients reported urinary and bowel symptoms morecommonly, as indicated by significantly higher FACE†

scores at the end of treatment and 3 months post-treatment.* Assessment for Peripheral Neuropathy Scale** Fatigue Scale† Functional Alterations due to Changes in Elimination

Watkins Bruner D, et al. Randomized trial results of quality of life comparingwhole abdominal irradiation and combination chemotherapy in advancedendometrial carcinoma: a gynecologic oncology group study. Quality of LifeResearch 16: 89-100, No. 1, Feb 2007 801063469

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 10 Mar 2007 No. 5231173-5503/10/0523-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved