Introduction. Ovarian cancer occupies the leading place in the structure of mortality of women reproductive system cancer. Its frequency increases with age and reaches a peak at 75– 80 years. Ovarian cancer is considered as a prolonged chronic disease with frequent relapses, followed by full or partial remission. The patient, achieved complete remission after chemotherapy treatment first line with the inclusion of preparations of platinum and have a relapse occurred earlier than 6 months, is the group with the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC). The correct choice of drugs for palliative therapy resistant ovarian cancer helps to minimize the symptoms of the disease, and complications of chemotherapy, as well as to ensure a good quality of life of patients.
Materials and methods. We examined 50 elderly patients with PROC. First group (n=25) received palliative chemotherapy (docetaxel, irinotecan, carboplatin, cisplatin). Second group (n=25) received palliative hormonal therapy (tamoxifen). Assessment of the quality of life was done on questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30.
Results. The level of response to palliative monochemotherapy was less then 28%. In the first group: time to progression — 6 months, survival median — 10 months. In the first group was registered haematological (64%) and nonhematological toxicity (36%). In the second group: time to progression — 4 months, survival median — 9 months, hematological and nonhematological manifestations were not registered. According to the survey questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30 indicators of physical activity, “social functioning” were higher in group II. “Cognitive functioning” and the interest was equally low in both groups. “Financial difficulties” in patients of group I were 3 times as much than in group I.
Conclusions. Our study confirmed that the quality of life is most important criterion in elderly patients than the achievement of a better clinical effect by the appointment of a number of chemotherapy courses.