Gynecological cancer survivors often face sexual health challenges posttreatment, making interventions to address these issues essential.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in sexual health-related outcomes among gynecological cancer survivors comparing 2 different follow-up models.

This preplanned substudy utilized data from the Lifestyle and Empowerment Techniques in Survivorship of Gynecologic Oncology study. Participants were assigned to either the intervention or control group based on their treatment hospital. The control group received standard follow-up care, whereas the intervention group received shared follow-up care with sexual health communication. Analyses included 686 participants with sexual activity as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included feelings of reduced physical attractiveness for all, sexual enjoyment and vaginal dryness (sexually active participants), and reasons for sexual inactivity (sexually inactive participants). Assessments were conducted at the end of treatment and at 6 and 12 months posttreatment.

No statistically significant group differences were found in any of the outcomes at 12 months. The intervention group showed a more favorable trend in sexual activity at 6 months, not sustained at 12 months. Both groups experienced an increase in vaginal dryness. The absence of a partner was the most common reason for sexual inactivity.

Findings suggest that nurse-led sexual health communication during routine follow-up consultations may have a limited impact on the sexual health-related outcomes measured in this study.

More intensive and individualized interventions may be necessary for significant improvements in the outcomes of this study.

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have gained increased importance in assessing outcomes after reconstructive surgery. This also applies to the reconstruction of vulvoperineal defects after resection of gynecological or colorectal cancers in women. The objective of this study is to analyze the current state of PROM tool use within this patient population.

By systematic literature searches in Embase, Medline, and Web of Science, English-language studies published after 1980, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case series reporting on vulvoperineal defect reconstruction, which were included if they also analyzed quality of life (QoL) and/or PROMs. The PROM tools used by each study were extracted, analyzed, and compared.

The primary search yielded 2576 abstracts, of which 395 articles were retrieved in full text. Of these, 50 reported on vulvoperineal defect reconstruction, among which 27 studies analyzing QoL were found. Of those, 17 met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. After full-text screening, 14 different PROM tools and 5 individual, non-standardized questionnaires were identified. Only 22% of studies used a validated PROM tool.

Far too few studies currently use PROM tools to assess outcomes in oncological vulvoperineal defect reconstruction. Less than half of the used PROMs are validated. No PROM was designed to specifically measure QoL in this patient population. The standardized implementation of a validated PROM tool in the clinical treatment of this patient population is an essential step to improve outcomes, enable the comparison of research, and support evidence-based treatment approaches.

Gynecological cancers and their treatments are associated with both specific and non-specific long-term physiological effects. Cancer patients face transformations in their lifestyle, body image, role, and social interactions and suffer from physical, psychological, and economic problems. The mental health of cancer patients is of great importance and requires special attention, as growing evidence demonstrates its influence not only on quality of life but also on treatment compliance. Gynecological cancers have peculiar psychological consequences, which are linked to the specificity of the site of the neoplasia. Clinicians should be aware of the importance of protecting the psychophysical health of these patients and the fact that their physical health and quality of life also depend on the quality of their mental health. It is possible to structure targeted and effective prevention interventions and treatments to reduce psychological distress and improve the quality of life of subjects living with gynecological cancers.

Childhood Cancer Survivors (CCSs) are more likely to report sexual dysfunction than people without cancer history. Sexual functioning encompasses more than just sexual dysfunction. The scarcity of information regarding the status and influencing factors of sexual functioning in CCSs, hampers to devise suitable screening or interventions. This review aims to summarize research progress on sexual functioning and associated factors among CCSs.

This review protocol is registered in PROSPERO(CRD42023427939) and performed according to PRISMA guidelines. From inception to November 15, 2023, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, CNKI Database, Wanfang of Chinese Database, SinoMed Database and Cochrane Library on sexual functioning and childhood cancer survivors. Inclusion criteria were English or Chinese studies focusing on sexual functioning and related factors of cancer survivors, who diagnosed with cancer before 18 years old, and were adult and disease-free when participating in the study. Studies were excluded if the focus was on adult cancer patients or without age information.

395 records were retrieved, and 22 studies were finally included in this review. Results suggest that CCSs experience a substantial burden of sexual issues, including delayed psychosexual development, low satisfaction, and high prevalence of dysfunction. Underlying factors related to sexual functioning of CCSs were identified, including demographic, cancer treatment-related, psychological, and physiological factors. The historical change in research on sexual functioning was summarized.

Research on sexual functioning among CCSs is limited. The extent to which cancer and related treatments affect sexual functioning remains largely unknown. The relationships between various factors and mechanisms underlying sexual functioning need to be confirmed by more rigorous studies to enable effective interventions to be developed.

None.

Background: Despite being considered a key component of quality-of-life, sexual health concerns in adolescents and young adults (AYA) patients with cancer (aged 15-39 years old) are often unmet due to barriers from both patients and health care professionals (HCPs). Investigation into policy and practice tools in this scope of practice is also limited. Aim: To review the literature on policy and practice tools in AYA oncosexology. Method: A scoping review was conducted using four databases: Medline, EMCARE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO, based on the Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review methodology. Retrieved articles were extracted into Covidence, followed by two screening rounds. Descriptive and basic content analyses were performed for evidence synthesis. Results: Seventy-four articles were included after screening rounds and citation searches. Overall, oncosexology policy and practice tools were categorized into screening tools (11 articles), guidelines (38 articles), training programs (15 articles), service delivery initiatives (5 articles), and the evaluation of their feasibility/challenges to implementation (5 articles). Among these, only ten articles were specifically about the AYA population. They helped identify and resolve sexual health concerns in AYA patients with cancer by providing strategies to overcome communication barriers, treatment options, and information resources for patients, and by advocating for more HCP education on this topic. Conclusion: The results warrant the need for more research, implementation and expansion of policy and practice tools for sexual health issues in AYA patients with cancer.

Sexual health problems are prevalent among women affected by gynecologic or breast cancer. It is important to understand the effects cancer treatment can have on sexual health and to have the tools necessary to identify and treat sexual health problems. This Clinical Expert Series discusses practical methods for routinely screening for sexual dysfunction and reviews sexual health treatment options for women affected by cancer. We review the limitations of the current literature in addressing sexual health problems among sexually and gender minoritized communities. Finally, we discuss appropriate timing of referrals to sexual health experts, physical therapists, and sex therapists. Multiple resources available for both patients and clinicians are included.

This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the data acquired and clarified the current research status of sexual health problems in patients with cancer, to provide a comprehensive visual perspective suitable as a reference for subsequent research.

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) up to April 30, 2023 to identify studies associated with sexual health problems in patients with cancer. CiteSpace was used to create visualization networks for countries, institutions, authors, and journals.

A total of 3183 publications related to sexual health problems in patients with cancer were collected from the WoSCC. In terms of volume, the USA (1259 papers) was the leading country, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (119 papers) was the leading institution, and Carter (39 papers) was the author with the most publications. The top-cited references and keywords were related to quality of life. The top five clusters of reference cocitation were 'brachytherapy', 'prostate cancer', 'radical prostatectomy', 'hypogonadism', and 'breast cancer'. Meanwhile, the top five clusters of keyword cocitation were 'breast cancer', 'prostate cancer', 'rectal cancer', 'testicular cancer', and 'sexual function'. The analysis of the top 25 references and keywords with the strongest citation bursts of published papers on sexual health problems in patients with cancer to reveal the research hotspots and trends.

Research on sexual health among patients with cancer is constantly developing. The current research focuses on the impact of different treatment options for sexual health and quality of life of patients with breast, rectal, and genitourinary neoplasms. Exploring the long-term changing regularities of sexual function among cancer survivors and formulating sexual health interventions toward patient-reported outcomes and needs are key research directions.

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology populations have unique sexual health concerns that deserve more attention. Our study aimed to describe sexual health and related concerns in young adults (YAs) to move toward integrating sexual health into routine care.

A total of 127 YAs (ages 19-39) in active treatment and survivorship from three outpatient oncology clinics provided demographic and clinical information. They completed versions of the NCCN Distress Thermometer and Problem List (AYA-POST; AYA-SPOST) developed specifically for AYAs as part of an ongoing needs assessment study.

Over one quarter (27.6%) of the total sample (Mage = 31.96, SD = 5.33) - 31.9% in active treatment (n = 72) and 21.8% in survivorship (n = 55) - reported at least one sexual health concern (i.e., sexual concern, loss of libido (desire for sex), pain with sex, and unprotected sex). Those undergoing active treatment with sexual concerns had significantly higher distress than those without sexual concerns, whereas this pattern was nonsignificant for those in survivorship. Both genders often endorsed general sexual concerns and loss of libido.

The current study adds to the important and burgeoning literature on sexual health concerns of YAs oncology populations. The prevalence of sexual concerns, differences between treatment status and between those with and without sexual concerns highlight the utility and need to embed screening that includes sexual health items at point of care. This can facilitate discussion of these sensitive and multifaceted needs throughout the cancer continuum.

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a frequent consequence of iatrogenic menopause or anti-estrogenic adjuvant therapies in breast cancer survivors (BCSs). GSM may profoundly affect sexual health and quality of life, and a multidimensional unique model of care is needed to address the burden of this chronic heterogeneous condition. Severe symptoms may be insufficiently managed with non-hormonal traditional treatments, such as moisturizers and lubricants, recommended as the first-line approach by current guidelines, because concerns exist around the use of vaginal estrogens, particularly in women on aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Vaginal laser therapy has emerged as a promising alternative in women with GSM who are not suitable or do not respond to hormonal management, or are not willing to use pharmacological strategies. We aim to systematically review current evidence about vaginal laser efficacy and safety in BCSs and to highlight gaps in the literature. We analyzed results from 20 studies, including over 700 BCSs treated with either CO2 or erbium laser, with quite heterogeneous primary outcomes and duration of follow up (4 weeks-24 months). Although evidence for laser efficacy in BCSs comes mostly from single-arm prospective studies, with only one randomized double-blind sham-controlled trial for CO2 laser and one randomized comparative trial of erbium laser and hyaluronic acid, available data are reassuring in the short term and indicate effectiveness of both CO2 and erbium lasers on the most common GSM symptoms. However, further studies are mandatory to establish long-term efficacy and safety in menopausal women, including BCSs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the sexual function status of young breast cancer patients during endocrine therapy, identify potential categories of sexual function status, and analyze the factors affecting the potential categories of sexual function status during endocrine therapy.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 189 young breast cancer patients who underwent postoperative adjuvant endocrine therapy in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. The latent class analysis was used to identify potential categories of patient sexual function characteristics with respect to the FSFI sex health measures. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors for the high risk latent class groups. A nomogram prognostic model were then established to identify high risk patients for female sexual dysfunction (FSD), and C-index was used to determine the prognostic accuracy.

Patients were divided into a "high dysfunction-low satisfaction" group and a "low dysfunction-high satisfaction" group depending on the latent class analysis, accounting for 69.3% and 30.7%, respectively. Patients who received aromatase inhibitors (AI) combined with ovarian function suppression (OFS) treatment (p = 0.027), had poor body-image after surgery (p = 0.007), beared heavy medical economy burden(p < 0.001), and had a delayed recovery of sexual function after surgery (p = 0.001) were more likely to be classified into the "high dysfunction-low satisfaction" group, and then conducted into the nomogram. The C-index value of the nomogram for predicting FSD was 0.782.

The study revealed the heterogeneity of sexual function status among young breast cancer patients during endocrine therapy, which may help identify high-risk patients and provide early intervention.

Purpose Adolescent and young adults (AYAs) oncology populations have unique sexual health concerns that deserve more attention. The current study aimed to describe the prevalence and characteristics of sexual health and related concerns in AYAs in active treatment and survivorship to move toward integrating sexual health in routine care. Methods A total of 127 AYAs (ages 19-39) in active treatment and survivorship were recruited from three outpatient oncology clinics. In addition to providing demographic and clinical information, they completed an adapted version of the NCCN Distress Thermometer and Problem List (AYA-POST; AYA-SPOST) as part of an ongoing needs assessment study. Results Over one quarter (27.6%) of the total sample ( M age = 31.96, SD  = 5.33) - 31.9% of active treatment, and 21.8% in survivorship - reported at least one sexual health concern (i.e., sexual concern, loss of libido, pain with sex, and unprotected sex). The most frequently endorsed concerns differed between active treatments and survivorship. Both genders often endorsed general sexual concerns and loss of libido. Conclusion The literature on sexual concerns in the AYA population is sparse and inconclusive, especially accounting for gender and other types of concerns. The current study highlights the need for further examination between treatment status, psychosexual concerns, emotional distress, and demographic and clinical factors. Given the prevalence of sexual concerns in AYAs in active treatment and survivorship, providers should consider integrating assessment and discussion of these needs at onset of diagnosis and as part of monitoring.

Many breast cancer survivors (BCS) suffer the consequences of antineoplastic treatments that induce a hypoestrogenic state, leading to chronic climacteric symptoms such as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), arousing significant alteration in their quality of life. Non-hormonal therapies (NHT) are first-line treatments, safe but with mild efficacy. When facing moderate-severe GSM, the options for BCS are limited: local estrogen therapy, considered the 'gold standard' but with concerns about safety; vaginal androgens and prasterone, which seem to trigger an activation of estrogen and androgen receptors of the vaginal epithelium layers, without activating estrogen receptors on other tissues, being potentially safe but still without strong evidence in favor of BCS; vaginal lasers, which appear to improve vascularization of vaginal mucosa by stimulating the remodeling of the underlying connective tissue, but with contradictory results of efficacy in recent randomized clinical trials; and ospemifene, an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator presenting mild vaginal estrogenic potency and anti-estrogenic effect at the endometrial and breast level, but still not recommended for use in BCS in recent North American Menopause Society guidelines. There is a need for further studies evaluating objectively the efficacy and safety of these promising therapeutic options. On the other hand, sexuality must be seen as a multifactorial issue, where GSM is only part of the problem; evidence shows that sexual counseling improves the quality of life of BCS. Finally, there is a need to limit the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of GSM in BCS; the primary goal of physicians treating BCS regarding this issue has to be the provision of information of what to expect regarding genital and sexual symptoms to BCS and to counsel on early first-line treatments that may help prevent more severe GSM.

We sought to better understand breast-specific sensuality (BSS) in sexually inactive breast cancer survivors.

We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey of breast cancer survivors during surveillance appointments from 2014 to 2016. Sexual inactivity was defined as no sexual activity within 4 weeks prior. Categorical data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test. Multiple logistic regression adjusted for age and menopausal status, and Firth's bias correction accommodated sparse data.

Of 585 respondents, 546 (93.3%) were between the ages of 40 and 79 years, of whom 285 (48.7%) were sexually inactive. Favorable post-treatment appearance satisfaction was reported by 413 (71.0%) respondents. Sexually inactive respondents were more likely to score discomfort with their partner seeing their chest after surgery compared with sexually active respondents (41 [20.4%] vs. 34 [11.4%]; p = 0.002). Both sexually inactive and active respondents reported that their chest was important in intimacy after surgery but at significantly different rates (117 [44.3%] vs. 217 [72.6%]; p < 0.001). Post-surgical appearance satisfaction for sexually inactive respondents was positively associated with level of comfort with partner seeing their chest after surgery (p < 0.001) and with rating of a pleasurable caress of the treated breast (p < 0.001).

Over 40% of sexually inactive respondents reported their chest was important in intimacy after surgery, suggesting that BSS may be a route to intimacy for sexually inactive breast cancer survivors. Post-surgical breast appearance satisfaction significantly correlated with comfort being seen by one's partner and appreciation of a pleasurable breast caress. Optimizing breast cancer surgical aesthetic outcomes may improve survivorship.