Introduction/Background Beside treatment efficacy, evaluation of side effects and quality of life (QoL) assessments have become more and more relevant in oncology. In this study, the influence of Disney movies during chemotherapy on emotional and social functioning as well as fatigue status was evaluated.

Methodology 50 patients with gynecologic cancers were either shown Disney movies or not during six cycles of chemotherapy. Before and after every cycle, patients filled out standardised questionnaires from The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Changes in QoL were evaluated.

Results In the course of six cycles of chemotherapy, patients in the Disney group felt less tensed and worried less, than patients in the control group according to the questions about emotional functioning (p=0.0217). Furthermore, watching Disney movies seemed to be associated with less encroachment in patients´ family life and social activities evaluated by the social functioning questions (p=0.0143). Moreover, this intervention led to less fatigue symptoms (p=0.0092). Perceived global health status was not affected by watching Disney movies (p=0.1576).

When comparing the results to the normative data for the EORTC QLQ-C30 in non-oncologic women aged 50 to 59 years, the control and the Disney group before intervention rated their emotional and social functioning as well as their global health status below the published data, while only the Disney group after the sixth chemotherapy/Disney movie valued them above.

Conclusion Watching Disney movies during chemotherapy leads to improvements in emotional functioning, social functioning and fatigue status in gynecologic oncology patients.

Disclosure SP: lecturing fee: MSD (not realted to submitted work) AR:Research grant: Roche lecturing and advisory boards fee: Amgen, Astra Zeneca, MSD, Pharma Mar, Roche, Tesaro, Vifor Pharma Travel expenses: Amgen, Astra Zeneca, Pharma Mar, Roche, Tesaro (not realted to submitted work) RS: Travel expenses: Amgen, Pharma Mar, Roche (not realted to submitted work) JO: lecturing fee: lenus pharma (not realted to submitted work) ES, SS, RR: non to declare