Quality of Life in Gynecologic Malignancies

Dear Colleagues,

The assessment and management of quality of life has never been more critical in the history of gynecologic oncology care. Our patients are living longer under the increased pressures of more complex and persistent therapies including neoadjuvant, intraoperative, adjuvant, and maintenance chemotherapy/targeted therapy/immunotherapy. Additionally, woven into their treatment journeys are surgery and radiation, which add to the lasting burden of symptoms and impairments in quality of life that our patients must endure. With each new therapy, our patients may face a new challenge to the maintenance of their quality of life. This Special Issue seeks to examine the topic of quality of life in gynecologic malignancies. Here we examine the existing literature and call for research that investigates ways of optimizing quality of life for people with gynecologic cancer. We measure quality of life in four health domains: physical health, mental health, social health, and functional health. We emphasize access to and uptake of palliative care, as there is abundant data in the existing literature that reveals the direct contribution of palliative care consultation to improved quality of life for patients with serious illness. We seek manuscripts that explore all domains of quality of life to bolster our patients through these challenging times.

Dr. Lori Spoozak

Guest Editor