Addressing Fertility and Sexual Health in Cancer Survivorship
Cancer survivors often encounter fertility and sexual health challenges caused by their illness or treatment. These reproductive issues remain a crucial but underexplored aspect of survivorship care.
Expert Insights on Sexual and Reproductive Health
In an interview with Oncology Central, two experts from the University of Louisville, KY, USA, Sadaf Sedaghatshoar and Karlynn BrintzenhofeSzoc, shared insights into how sexual and reproductive health factors affect the quality of life for cancer patients.
Research and Findings
The experts discussed a scoping review they are preparing, which was presented at the AOSW Annual Conference (June 11–13, Atlanta, GA, USA). The review revealed that the most commonly studied variables related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concern sexual health.
- Sexual function issues such as erectile dysfunction and vaginal dryness
- Changes in sexual activity
- Psychosexual and emotional factors, including body image, sexual confidence, and distress
Intervention Focus
Interventions primarily target sexual behavior and function, aiming to improve symptoms and emotional well-being tied to reproductive health.
Cancer survivors often face fertility and sexual health challenges resulting from their treatment or disease, making reproductive issues a critical yet understudied component of survivorship care.
In our scoping review, the most commonly addressed HRQoL variables were those related to sexual health, including psychosexual and emotional factors like body image, sexual confidence, and distress.
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Author’s summary: Fertility and sexual health are critical, yet often overlooked, aspects of cancer survivorship that significantly affect patients' quality of life and warrant greater clinical attention.