Patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer experience a significant decline in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) when their disease progresses, according to findings from the PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26/GOG-3012 trial evaluating first-line maintenance therapy with niraparib.
The PRIMA trial randomly assigned patients in a 2:1 ratio to receive either niraparib or a placebo after responding to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Niraparib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo.
At a recent poster presentation, Mark S. Shahin, MD, of Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and colleagues reported on a prespecified HRQOL endpoint. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the ovarian cancer-specific module (EORTC QLQ-OV28). Survey completion rates exceeded 80% for both instruments at the end of treatment.
The analysis revealed that, regardless of treatment assignment, patients experiencing disease progression had significantly lower overall HRQOL. EORTC QLQ-C30 results showed substantial declines in global health status and functioning, which did not return to baseline levels. Progression affected all five functional scales of the questionnaire.
Similarly, EORTC QLQ-OV28 data indicated that disease progression was linked to worsening body image, sexual health, attitudes toward disease and treatment, as well as increased abdominal and gastrointestinal symptoms.
The researchers concluded that maintaining progression-free survival is critical for preserving quality of life in advanced ovarian cancer, reinforcing PFS as a clinically meaningful endpoint in this population.
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