OBJECTIVES

As advances in treatment have prolonged survival for many patients with ovarian cancer, there has been growing interest in assessing the adverse effects of disease and treatment. The aim of this study was to review the literature on cognitive function and quality of life (QOL) in this population.

METHODS

A review of published studies including formal assessment of neurocognitive functions and self-reported domains of quality of life, with an emphasis on cognitive function, was performed.

RESULTS

The small number of studies including formal evaluations of neurocognitive function suggests that many ovarian cancer patients experience cognitive difficulties associated with their disease and treatment. Several studies described declines in self-reported cognitive function that may impact QOL, but the results were not consistent across studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Adequately powered longitudinal studies including formal neurocognitive and QOL assessments are needed to advance our understanding of the incidence of cognitive dysfunction and its impact on functional ability and QOL in ovarian cancer patients. These research efforts may ultimately contribute to treatment decision-making through the identification of vulnerable patients, and to the development of appropriate intervention strategies to improve cognitive function and QOL.