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Do male esophageal cancer patients have impaired sexual function after esophagectomy? A self-reported outcomes study

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Abstract

Purpose

Sexual function is a significant part of patients' quality of life, which is another important aspect of cancer. This study assessed and compared the sexual function of male esophageal cancer patients to that of age-matched normal controls through postoperative follow-up surveys.

Methods

The study included 105 male esophageal cancer patients aged 38–81 years who underwent a curative-intent esophagectomy between April 2012 and May 2014. This observational study included sociodemographic and clinicopathological characteristics and responses to sexual function questionnaires International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) at 6 and 12 months after surgery. An age-matched normal control group was recruited. Non-parametric tests were used when appropriate.

Results

The median patient age was 59 years. The factors significantly associated with sexual dysfunction on the 6-month survey included older age, and postoperative complications. At 12 months after surgery, older age was significantly associated with poorer sexual function. The sexual function scores significantly increased from 6 to 12 months after surgery (P < 0.05); there was no difference in the patients’ 12-month sexual function scores and those of the normal controls (P > 0.05). Notably, compared to older patients (age ≥60 years), the younger (age <60 years) patients reported a significantly better sexual function scores (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Age, and postoperative complications were the factors significantly associated with sexual function. Impaired sexual function after primary treatment can be recovered in male esophageal cancer patients; younger patients may regain sexual function better than their older counterparts.

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Acknowledgements

Our manuscript has been edited for proper English language, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and overall style at American Journal Experts (Certificate Verification Key: A55D-5C04-85D1-7BE3-341D).

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Author notes

  1. Xun Cao and Jiu-Di Zhong have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, No. 651 Dong-Feng Road East, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, China

    Xun Cao, Jiu-Di Zhong, Tian-Zhen Yang, Yu-Chuan Jiang & Zhe-Sheng Wen

  2. Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, China

    Jiu-Di Zhong, Tian-Zhen Yang, Yu-Chuan Jiang & Zhe-Sheng Wen

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  1. Xun Cao
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Correspondence to Zhe-Sheng Wen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. Our research does not contain any studies with animals.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cao, X., Zhong, JD., Yang, TZ. et al. Do male esophageal cancer patients have impaired sexual function after esophagectomy? A self-reported outcomes study. Qual Life Res 26, 3331–3341 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1677-3

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