Long-term sexual functioning in germ-cell tumor survivors.

Abstract

549 Background: Treatment for germ-cell tumors (GCT) may lead to long-term consequences in GCT survivors. This study aimed to evaluate a long-term sexual functioning after curative treatment for GCT. Methods: GCT survivors (N = 155) from a national cancer centre completed a Sexual Function Questionnaire that was modified from PROMIS Sexual Function and Satisfaction Questionnaire at a median 10 years of follow up (range 5-32) as a primary exploratory aim. Seventeen survivors (11%) had orchiectomy alone (controls), while 138 (89%) survivors received treatment beyond orchiectomy. The study group consisted of survivors receiving a cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes or both, while the control group included survivors treated with orchiectomy only. Results: Survivors treated with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy or any treatment had difficulty maintaining erection during the intercourse compared to the controls (both P = 0.04). Moreover, patients who received chemotherapy and radiotherapy reported difficulty in achieving orgasm during the intercourse ( P = 0.04) and they were disappointed with their overall quality of sex life ( P = 0.002). No difference in education, employment, marital status and parity was observed between the study groups (all P > 0.05). GCT survivors reported no differences in their sexual desire and in the number of attempts to initiate sexual intercourse in the last month. Survivors from all treatment groups reported none or mild anxiety resulting from sexual relationships and the desire to be sexually active was moderate among all subgroups, with no significant difference. Conclusions: Our prospective study shows that an impairment insexual function is a significant issue for long-term GCT survivors. Treatment with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy had the highest impact on the quality of sex life.

Erectile dysfunction among testicular cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Its impact is not only related to the sexual life of the survivors rather than it comprises psychological, biological, relational, and cultural elements of life [9]. Treatment modalities, psychological emotion, relationship, body image, types of testicular cancer, patient age and degree of ED before starting cancer treatment are some of the determinants that affect the erectile function of testicular cancer survivors [1,5,[10][11][12][13][14][15] Nowadays the prevalence of ED is increased due to the increment of testicular cancer survivors and decrement the mortality rate of testicular cancer patients [2]. The progressively increasing number of survivors and succeeding accomplishment of primary cancer treatments, causes specific complications continue to affect cancer survivors negatively [4,16].…”

“…Treatment modalities, psychological emotion, relationship, body image, types of testicular cancer, patient age, and degree of ED before starting cancer treatment are some of the determinants that affect the erectile function of TC survivors [ 1 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

Incorporating Reproductive Health in the Clinical Management of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer

“…11 Gonadotoxicity and sexual dysfunction are welldocumented for patients with cancer across other tumor types (eg, lymphoma, breast, and germ cell). [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] However, the population of patients with early-onset CRC differs as rates of sexual dysfunction are higher in CRC (across all age groups, including early-onset CRC) compared with all cancer survivors. 21 This is because of altering physiology as a result of CRC-specific therapies-pelvic radiation, abdominoperineal resection, mesorectal surgery, and cytotoxic chemotherapies.…”

The effect of primary granulocyte-colony stimulating factor prophylaxis on the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients with testicular germ cell tumors

“…Focus on prevention and appropriate management of treatment-related side effects is crucial in order to minimize morbidity, mortality and improve patients' quality of life. [4][5][6] Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening complication of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. [7,8] Incidence of FN in GCT patients measured in previous studies varies widely.…”