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Sexual function and quality of life in gynecological cancer pre- and post-short-term brachytherapy: a prospective study

  • Gynecologic Oncology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the sexual function and quality of life pre- and post-gynecological cancer treatment with high-dose rate brachytherapy in the short term.

Methods

This is a descriptive and prospective study involving 20 women diagnosed with gynecological cancer aged between 18 and 70 years, resident in Florianopolis and the surrounding region. We used the Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (QLQ-C30) 3.0 to assess quality of life pre- and post-brachytherapy treatment and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess sexual function.

Results

Regarding quality of life, significant worsening was observed for the items loss of appetite (p = 0.002) and diarrhea (p = 0.045) from pre- to post-brachytherapy treatment, whereas constipation (p = 0.013) improved. For sexual function, the statistical difference was found exclusively in the domain of lubrication reduction (p = 0.046). Only nine women were sexually active before and after brachytherapy treatment.

Conclusions

There was a worsening of quality of life in comparing pre- and post-evaluations related to gastrointestinal symptoms over a period equivalent to 40 days. Regarding sexual function, lack of lubrication was identified in short-term post-gynecological cancer brachytherapy.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for their financial support (14/2011, process 485780/2011), and also the support of the Physical Therapy and Nursing (Ambulatory) department of the Oncology Research Center (CEPON), Florianópolis (SC), Brazil.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Kamilla Zomkowski & Ariana Machado Toryi

  2. Santa Catarina Federal Institute (IFSC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Ariana Machado Toryi

  3. School of Kinesiology, Bernardo O’Higgins University, Avenida Viel 1497, Santiago, Chile

    Cinara Sacomori

  4. Oncology Research Center (CEPON), Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Mirella Dias

  5. Physical Therapy Post-Graduate Program, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Fabiana Flores Sperandio

  6. Health Sciences and Sports Center (CEFID), Women’s Health Laboratory, Rua Pascoal Simone 358, Florianópolis, SC, 88080-350, Brazil

    Kamilla Zomkowski, Ariana Machado Toryi, Mirella Dias & Fabiana Flores Sperandio

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  1. Kamilla Zomkowski
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kamilla Zomkowski.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no proprietary, financial, professional or other personal interest of any nature in any product, service or company.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Additional information

This research was developed at Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Florianópolis (SC), Brazil.

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Zomkowski, K., Toryi, A.M., Sacomori, C. et al. Sexual function and quality of life in gynecological cancer pre- and post-short-term brachytherapy: a prospective study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 294, 833–840 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4099-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4099-5

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