Survey of the desire to have children and engage in sexual activity after trachelectomy among young Japanese women with early‐stage cervical cancer

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate how the desire to have children and engage in sexual activity change after trachelectomy in Japanese women with early-stage cervical cancer who strongly desired to have children before surgery. Methods: Desire to have children, coital pain, fear of sexual intercourse, sexual activity frequency and libido were assessed in cervical cancer patients who received follow-up after trachelectomy. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted via informed consent. Results: Of the 151 patients who underwent trachelectomy at Kyushu University Hospital between 2005 and 2015, 46 patients were evaluated; the response rate was 30%. The desire to have children disappeared in 13 of 46 (28%) patients, and 14 (30%) patients experienced increased coital pain. Moreover, 19 (41%) patients experienced fear of sexual intercourse, and sexual frequency decreased in 24 (52%) patients. Conclusion: Trachelectomy is an important fertility-sparing surgical method; however, this study revealed loss of the desire to have children and/or to engage in sexual activity in some patients after surgery. Counseling about these issues is important and should be addressed.

Assessment of long‐term sexual function of cervical cancer survivors after treatment: A cross‐sectional study

“…4,5,7 In addition, sexual dysfunction may also negatively affect the relationship between CC patients and their spouses, leading to emotional alienation and marital problems. 4,6,8,9 In previous studies, the short-term sexual function of CC survivors has been extensively discussed, while further attention needs to be paid to long-term follow-up of those survivors. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term sexual function of CC survivors after cancer therapy (follow-up time, 13-138 months), and to investigate the possible effects of multiple treatment modalities and demographic variables on the sexual function of CC survivors using the validated short form of Pelvic Organ Prolapse/ Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12).…”

“…At present, surgery is the main therapeutic approach for early‐stage CC, and adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy are used according to patients' clinical conditions. Patients may receive multiple treatment modalities, accompanied with long‐term influences on sexual function, and numerous studies have shown that there is a correlation between CC treatment and changes in sexual function 4–6 . A large number of studies have reported that CC survivors mainly suffer from sexual discomfort, vaginal shortening, decreased vaginal elasticity, pelvic nerve damage, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, insertion pain, vaginal bleeding, and decreased sexual interest compared with healthy controls 4,5,7 .…”

“…A large number of studies have reported that CC survivors mainly suffer from sexual discomfort, vaginal shortening, decreased vaginal elasticity, pelvic nerve damage, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, insertion pain, vaginal bleeding, and decreased sexual interest compared with healthy controls 4,5,7 . In addition, sexual dysfunction may also negatively affect the relationship between CC patients and their spouses, leading to emotional alienation and marital problems 4,6,8,9 …”

“…Patients may receive multiple treatment modalities, accompanied with long‐term influences on sexual function, and numerous studies have shown that there is a correlation between CC treatment and changes in sexual function. 4 , 5 , 6 A large number of studies have reported that CC survivors mainly suffer from sexual discomfort, vaginal shortening, decreased vaginal elasticity, pelvic nerve damage, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, insertion pain, vaginal bleeding, and decreased sexual interest compared with healthy controls. 4 , 5 , 7 In addition, sexual dysfunction may also negatively affect the relationship between CC patients and their spouses, leading to emotional alienation and marital problems.…”

“… 4 , 5 , 7 In addition, sexual dysfunction may also negatively affect the relationship between CC patients and their spouses, leading to emotional alienation and marital problems. 4 , 6 , 8 , 9 …”