Marce-Amara Kpoghomou1, Marion Geneau2, Josiane Menard2, Moufid Stiti3, Thierry Almont4,5, Bishwajit Ghose6, Justine Attal2, Martine Delannes2, Eric Huyghe4,5, Anne Ducassou2. 1. Pôle Centre de Psychiatrie générale, Unité d'hospitalisation Adulte "L'Odyssée", Centre Hospitalier Henri Guérin Pierrefeu-du-var, Toulon, France. marceamara@gmail.com. 2. Radiotherapy Department, Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse University Institute for Cancer (IUCT-Oncopole), Toulouse, France. 3. Pôle Centre de Psychiatrie générale, Unité d'hospitalisation Adulte "L'Odyssée", Centre Hospitalier Henri Guérin Pierrefeu-du-var, Toulon, France. 4. EA 3694 Human Fertility Research Group, Paule de Viguier, Reproductive Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France. 5. French Education and Research Group in Andrology, Urology and Sexology (GEFRAUS), Reproductive Medicine Department, Paule de Viguier University Hospital, Toulouse, France. 6. School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Women's sexual health and wellbeing with cervical or vaginal cancer may be largely affected by complications from external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and utero-vaginal brachytherapy (BT), of which vaginal stenosis is the main complication. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of support by a nurse sexologist on sexuality, vaginal side-effects, and the quality of clinical follow-up in patients treated with brachytherapy for cervical or vaginal cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of the sexuality of women treated for cervical or vaginal cancer. Data from patients with cervical or vaginal cancer who underwent brachytherapy between 2013 and 2017 were collected at Institut Universitaire de Cancer de Toulouse-Oncopôle (IUCT-Oncopôle). Patients were divided into two groups: group A (intervention group) received support from a nurse sexologist and group B (control group) did not. The chi-square test and a logistic multivariate model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were included in this study, including 57.7% who were followed by a nurse sexologist. We observed low compliance in using vaginal dilators after brachytherapy and/or radiotherapy over time regardless of the group, and patients' sexual activity was inadequately addressed. Information regarding the resumption of sexuality 2 months after treatment was missing in 1.1% of patients in group A and in 36.4% of patients in group B. Multivariate analysis showed that patients in group A had a lower risk of developing vaginal stenosis with OR crude = 0.5 (95% CI = 0.25-0.92) and OR adj. = 0.5 (95% CI = 0.26-1.09) compared with those in group B. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study highlights the lack of information collected by physicians during follow-up concerning the sexuality of patients with cervical or vaginal cancer treated by EBRT and BT. The support offered by nurse sexologists in improving patients' sexual activity and reducing their physical side-effects such as vaginal stenosis is likely to be beneficial. A prospective study is currently being conducted to validate the present findings.
PURPOSE:Women's sexual health and wellbeing with cervical or vaginal cancer may be largely affected by complications from external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and utero-vaginal brachytherapy (BT), of which vaginal stenosis is the main complication. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of support by a nurse sexologist on sexuality, vaginal side-effects, and the quality of clinical follow-up in patients treated with brachytherapy for cervical or vaginal cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of the sexuality of women treated for cervical or vaginal cancer. Data from patients with cervical or vaginal cancer who underwent brachytherapy between 2013 and 2017 were collected at Institut Universitaire de Cancer de Toulouse-Oncopôle (IUCT-Oncopôle). Patients were divided into two groups: group A (intervention group) received support from a nurse sexologist and group B (control group) did not. The chi-square test and a logistic multivariate model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were included in this study, including 57.7% who were followed by a nurse sexologist. We observed low compliance in using vaginal dilators after brachytherapy and/or radiotherapy over time regardless of the group, and patients' sexual activity was inadequately addressed. Information regarding the resumption of sexuality 2 months after treatment was missing in 1.1% of patients in group A and in 36.4% of patients in group B. Multivariate analysis showed that patients in group A had a lower risk of developing vaginal stenosis with OR crude = 0.5 (95% CI = 0.25-0.92) and OR adj. = 0.5 (95% CI = 0.26-1.09) compared with those in group B. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study highlights the lack of information collected by physicians during follow-up concerning the sexuality of patients with cervical or vaginal cancer treated by EBRT and BT. The support offered by nurse sexologists in improving patients' sexual activity and reducing their physical side-effects such as vaginal stenosis is likely to be beneficial. A prospective study is currently being conducted to validate the present findings.
Entities:
Keywords:
Brachytherapy; Cancer; Cervical; Sexuality; Supportive care
Authors: Hae Won Kim; Yeon Hee Kim; Saem Yi Kang; Eun Ju Lee; Jung Lim Lee; Youngji Kim Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-03 Impact factor: 3.390