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T. Fretta1, C. Ferreira2, P. Mendes1, A.C. Fernandes1, M. Dias3
1Ribeirão Preto Medical School – University of São Paulo, Physioterapist, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 2Ribeirão Preto Medical School – University of São Paulo, Physioterapist and Professor Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 3Santa Catarina State University, Physiotherapy, Florianopolis, Brazil
Background: Treatment for gynecological cancer can lead to several side effects, including pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). Despite this, in Brazil there is a great scarcity of studies investigating the impact of gynecological cancer treatments in women´s sexual function.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse sexual function in women who received surgery and radiotherapy to treat a gynecological cancer in a reference center.
Methods: This is a retrospective study and data were collected from October 2017 to October 2019 from the records of patients who were diagnosed with gynecological cancer and received pelvic radiotherapy, treated at the Oncological Research Center (CEPON) and reported an active sexual life. Sexual function data were extracted from the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, a validated tool culturally adapted (Pacagnella et al. 2009).
To characterize the sample a descriptive analyses was undertaken using frequency. The FSFI domain scores and total scores were calculated and presented as mean and standard deviation. To estimate the association between the variables, simple linear regression adjusted for age (95% CI) was used, categorizing participants < 50 years or >50 years. For all analyzes, it was considered statistically significant, p<0.05. The SPSS statistical package, version 23.0, was used.
To characterize the sample a descriptive analyses was undertaken using frequency. The FSFI domain scores and total scores were calculated and presented as mean and standard deviation. To estimate the association between the variables, simple linear regression adjusted for age (95% CI) was used, categorizing participants < 50 years or >50 years. For all analyzes, it was considered statistically significant, p<0.05. The SPSS statistical package, version 23.0, was used.
Results: Women (115 records) had a mean age of 45.94 ± 12.96 years, 67% were <50 years, the majority (96,1%) were diagnosed with cervical cancer, performed teletherapy (94,8%), received 28gy of brachytherapy (84,4%) and underwent teletherapy and brachytherapy (94,8%). Women >50 years were 33% of the sample, were diagnosed with cervical cancer (55,3%), endometrium cancer (44,7%), performed teletherapy (89,5%), received 28 gy (55,3%) and 21 gy (44,7%) of brachytherapy, underwent teletherapy and brachytherapy 89,5% women. Among all women, 98% were married and reported a mean frequency of 2,32±1,99 intercourse per week. The mean FSFI total score was 19.56±4.18. All women had a total FSFI score below 26.55.
The mean of the FSFI domains in women <50 years desire (2,16±0,56), arousal (3,90±1,49), lubrication (3,83±0,70), orgasm (2,92±0,79), satisfaction (2,44±1,35), pain (3,96±1,63) and the yotal score FSFI (18,92±3,82).
And about the women >50 years the mean desire (2,42±0,76), arousal (4,16±1,75), lubrication (3,76±0,91), orgasm (3,26±0,92), satisfaction (2,92±1,22), pain (4,66±1,61) and the yotal score FSFI (20,84±4,62).
When age-adjusted multiple regression was performed, patients over 50 years had worse desire (p = 0.037), orgasm (p = 0.042) and worse pain score (p = 0.020). (table2).
The mean of the FSFI domains in women <50 years desire (2,16±0,56), arousal (3,90±1,49), lubrication (3,83±0,70), orgasm (2,92±0,79), satisfaction (2,44±1,35), pain (3,96±1,63) and the yotal score FSFI (18,92±3,82).
And about the women >50 years the mean desire (2,42±0,76), arousal (4,16±1,75), lubrication (3,76±0,91), orgasm (3,26±0,92), satisfaction (2,92±1,22), pain (4,66±1,61) and the yotal score FSFI (20,84±4,62).
When age-adjusted multiple regression was performed, patients over 50 years had worse desire (p = 0.037), orgasm (p = 0.042) and worse pain score (p = 0.020). (table2).
Conclusion(s): All patients who underwent pelvic radiotherapy treatment had low sexual function scores. Women over 50 years of age had worse sexual function in relation to the domains of desire, orgasm and pain.
Implications: This high rate of sexual dysfunction in women who received radiotherapy treatment for gynecological cancer requires the work of an interdisciplinary team, including physiotherapists. There is an urgent need for more research on the topic, including RCTS investigating the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions.
Funding, acknowledgements: Not applicable
Keywords: Female Sexual Dysfunction, Neoplasms, Pelvic Floor
Topic: Pelvic, sexual and reproductive health
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Cancer Research Center
Committee: Ethics and Research Committee of CEPON / SC
Ethics number: 3,621,243. 115
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
