TY - JOUR
T1 - Sexual concerns in cancer patients
T2 - A comparison of GI and breast cancer patients
AU - Reese, Jennifer Barsky
AU - Shelby, Rebecca A.
AU - Keefe, Francis J.
AU - Porter, Laura S.
AU - Abernethy, Amy P.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgements This study was a subanalysis of data collected through an outcomes research service agreement with Pfizer, Inc. focusing on the use of e/Tablets to collect patient-reported data in the clinic. Pfizer does not have access to individual data. SOS, Inc. served as vendor for the e/Tablets in this project; the vendor provided the hardware and programmed the software. Duke University Medical Center provided the wireless system and associated technical support. Dr. Abernethy had a nominal consulting arrangement with SOS, Inc., ending in April 2008. None of this funding or these relationships are specifically related to the topic of the manuscript, sexual concerns. This work was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, Grant (U 5 U01 AR052186). This work was supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health Clinical Research Training in Geriatric Mood Disorders, Grant (MH070448).
PY - 2010/9
Y1 - 2010/9
N2 - Purpose: Although sexual concerns have been examined in breast cancer (BC), these concerns remain understudied and undertreated for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Objectives were to: (1) assess sexual concerns in GI cancer patients compared with breast cancer patients; (2) examine whether sexual concerns are stable over time in GI and breast cancer patients; and (3) evaluate whether sexual concerns in GI and breast cancer are significantly associated with quality of life, symptom severity, and disease interference, and whether these associations change over time. Methods: Data were collected from GI and breast cancer patients during four outpatient clinic visits over 6 months. Measures included sexual concerns (reduced sexual enjoyment, interest, or performance), quality of life (FACT-G), symptom severity, disease interference (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory), and disease-related distress (NCCN Distress Scale). Linear mixed model analyses were conducted. Results: Sexual concerns were common in both samples, with 57% of GI cancer patients and 53% of breast cancer patients reporting at least mild sexual concerns. Sexual concerns were stable over time and were significantly associated with lower levels of functioning in multiple domains (e.g., quality of life, symptom severity, disease interference, and disease-related distress), irrespective of length of time since diagnosis. Cancer type (GI/breast cancer) was not a moderator of this relationship. Conclusions: Self-reported sexual concerns were common, stable, and related significantly to quality of life, symptom severity, disease interference, and disease-related distress for both GI and breast cancer patients. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
AB - Purpose: Although sexual concerns have been examined in breast cancer (BC), these concerns remain understudied and undertreated for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Objectives were to: (1) assess sexual concerns in GI cancer patients compared with breast cancer patients; (2) examine whether sexual concerns are stable over time in GI and breast cancer patients; and (3) evaluate whether sexual concerns in GI and breast cancer are significantly associated with quality of life, symptom severity, and disease interference, and whether these associations change over time. Methods: Data were collected from GI and breast cancer patients during four outpatient clinic visits over 6 months. Measures included sexual concerns (reduced sexual enjoyment, interest, or performance), quality of life (FACT-G), symptom severity, disease interference (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory), and disease-related distress (NCCN Distress Scale). Linear mixed model analyses were conducted. Results: Sexual concerns were common in both samples, with 57% of GI cancer patients and 53% of breast cancer patients reporting at least mild sexual concerns. Sexual concerns were stable over time and were significantly associated with lower levels of functioning in multiple domains (e.g., quality of life, symptom severity, disease interference, and disease-related distress), irrespective of length of time since diagnosis. Cancer type (GI/breast cancer) was not a moderator of this relationship. Conclusions: Self-reported sexual concerns were common, stable, and related significantly to quality of life, symptom severity, disease interference, and disease-related distress for both GI and breast cancer patients. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
KW - Breast neoplasms
KW - Gastrointestinal neoplasms
KW - Physiological
KW - Quality oflife
KW - Sexual dysfunction
KW - Sexuality
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-009-0738-8
DO - 10.1007/s00520-009-0738-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 19777269
AN - SCOPUS:77956459889
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 18
SP - 1179
EP - 1189
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 9
ER -