Changes in Brain Function in Patients With Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Ovarian, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer Who Are Receiving Chemotherapy

RATIONALE: Learning about the effects of chemotherapy on brain function may help doctors plan cancer treatments.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying changes in brain function in patients with stage I, stage II, stage III, or stage IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer who are receiving chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To describe changes in cognitive function among patients with ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer receiving front-line chemotherapy as measured by a web-based assessment of cognitive function as measured by the HeadMinder Customized Research Tool (CRT).

Secondary

• To estimate the proportion of these patients who experience possible or probable acute or persistent impairment in cognitive function while receiving chemotherapy as measured by a web-based assessment of cognitive function as measured by the HeadMinder CRT.
• To explore the association between the patient-reported neurocognitive function as measured by the Patient Assessment of Own Functioning (PAF) scale and web-based assessment of cognitive function as measured by the HeadMinder CRT.

Tertiary

• To explore the relationship between patient-reported quality of life as measured by the FACT-O and cognitive function as measured by the web-based and patient-reported assessments, respectively. (Exploratory)
• To explore whether the patient-reported cognitive function or the web-based assessment of cognitive function is associated with anxiety and depression as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. (Exploratory)
• To explore the changes in cognitive function using the web-assessed (CRT) and self-reported (PAF) assessments, respectively, among patients with advanced ovarian cancer (stage III-IV, optimally debulked disease at enrollment) receiving IV as compared to intraperitoneal treatment. (Exploratory)
• To explore whether the cognitive impairment as measured with web-based assessment is associated with patient age, hemoglobin, platelet count, patient-reported neurotoxicity symptoms as measured with FACT/GOG-Ntx subscale, or body weight. (Exploratory)

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients receive standard chemotherapy. Treatment repeats for 6 courses.

Patients complete neurocognitive evaluations (Patient Assessment and Own Functioning scale and HeadMinder Custom Research Tool) and quality-of-life assessments (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, FACT-O, and FACT/GOG-Ntx subscale) at baseline, before the fourth course of chemotherapy, at 3 weeks after the sixth course of chemotherapy, and at 6 months after the sixth course of chemotherapy.

• Cognitive/Functional Effects
• Fallopian Tube Cancer
• Ovarian Cancer
• Primary Peritoneal Cavity Cancer

• Drug: systemic chemotherapy
• Other: questionnaire administration
• Procedure: assessment of therapy complications
• Procedure: cognitive assessment
• Procedure: quality-of-life assessment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or pathologically confirmed primary diagnosis of stage I-IV ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer (any cell type)

• Planning to receive ≥ 6 courses of front-line chemotherapy

  • Have not yet received the first course of chemotherapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• GOG performance status 0-2
• Able to read and understand English

• No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  • Myocardial infarction within the past year
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Congestive heart failure
• No history of head injury with GCS < 13
• No severe hemiparesis or other condition preventing bimanual keyboard operation
• No distal neuropathy, action tremor, or other motor dysfunction that would substantially decrease keyboard accuracy
• No severe motor or mental slowing (i.e., patient who is disoriented/level C on any criterion as assessed by the person-place-time criteria)
• No other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years except for nonmelanoma skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy

• More than 6 months since prior epoetin alfa, darbepoetin, or any investigational forms of erythropoietin

  • Patients may receive these agents during chemotherapy treatment as needed