Adjuvant therapy of surgical menopause symptoms in rehabilitation of patients with borderline ovarian tumors: a role of “cancer immunotherapy diet”

Aim: to examine intensity of surgical menopause symptoms (postovariectomy syndrome, POES) in patients with borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) after radical surgery depending on the postoperative period management; to assess a role for “cancer immunotherapy diet”* as a standalone means in correction of surgical menopause symptoms as well as a part of patient-specific rehabilitation program.

Materials and Methods. A prospective comparative study was conducted with 62 BOTs female patients aged 30 to 48 (42.0 ± 4.1) years underwent radical surgical treatment, subdivided into 3 groups: group I – “active” rehabilitation (29 subjects underwent 12 month-comprehensive personalized rehabilitation); group II – “passive” rehabilitation (17 women with standard management of the postoperative period in accordance with clinical recommendations); group III – 16 patients followed the one-year “cancer immunotherapy diet” (after being consulted by medical specialist and formulation of individual diet program). Patient data obtained after clinical interview, physical, laboratory and instrumental examinations were assessed at four time points: before surgery (visit 0), after 1, 6 and 12 months (visits 1, 2, 3) after antitumor treatment. In addition, every visit required each patient to fill out the modified Kupperman menopausal index (MMI) questionnaire specifically adapted for BOTs patients. Intensity of neurovegetative, psycho-emotional and metabolic manifestations of surgical menopause symptoms was assessed at various stages of post-surgery period and management strategy during post-surgery period.

Results. All BOTs patients one month after radical surgical treatment noted overt signs of surgical menopause. Before surgery, the average MMI score corresponded to normal range – 10.9 (group I), 10.5 (group II), 10.4 (group III), whereas during visit 1 it changed to 37.1, 35.2 and 36.4, respectively evidencing about moderate severity of POES. MMI largely depended on management strategy 6 and 12 months after the onset of therapy: in “active” rehabilitation group it was 27.7 (visit 2) and 22.2 (visit 3), “passive” rehabilitation group – 39.1 (visit 2) and 42.6 (visit 3), “cancer immunotherapy diet” group – 34.1 (visit 2) and 30.8 (visit 3). In addition, distribution of patients based on body mass index (BMI) revealed various types of impaired fat metabolism (IFM) in 59.68 % subjects at visit 0, that increased one month after surgery up to 64.52 %, whereas 6 and 12 months later it decreased down to 62.90 and 61.29 %, respectively. However, end-point results in different groups varied substantially: In particular, at visit 3 in group I 55.17 % (n = 16) subjects had normal BMI, 37.93 % (n = 11) – class I obesity and 6.90 % (n = 2) – class II obesity. The end-point results in group II revealed no patients with normal BMI: 76.47 % (n = 13) and 23.53 % (n = 4) had class I and class II obesity, respectively. Finally, end-point results in group III were at intermediate state: 50.0 % (n = 8) subjects showed normal BMI, whereas 37.5 % (n = 6) and 12.5 % (n = 2) patients demonstrated class I and class II obesity, respectively.

Conclusion. Adjuvant therapy of surgical menopause symptoms represents an important component in rehabilitation program for BOTs patients underwent radical surgery. A personalized rehabilitation program demonstrates peak efficacy in correcting surgical menopause symptoms (essential to include “cancer immunotherapy diet” therein). Even isolated administration of diet therapy profoundly reduces intensity of surgical menopause symptoms, thereby improving the quality of woman’s life.

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