About 75 per cent of ovarian cancer (OC) cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Only 28 per cent of women with advanced OC survive five years. Research shows that women with better muscle structure (muscle mass + density) at diagnosis survive longer.
The project will determine if muscle structure:
1) changes during treatment,
2) is associated with treatment tolerance,
3) differs between treatment groups, and
4) can improve with resistance exercise.
Muscle structure will be measured using pre- and post-treatment CT scans. Treatment tolerance information will be collected from medical records. A group of women will participate in an exercise program to assess if exercise can improve muscle structure and function.
This research will investigate:
1) the usefulness of muscle structure to identify women with poor treatment tolerance and survival,
2) the potential of exercise to improve muscle structure and function.
Results will inform the development of better supportive care for women with advanced OC.
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