J Gynecol Oncol.  2015 Apr;26(2):148-154. 10.3802/jgo.2015.26.2.148.

Quality of life and sexuality comparison between sexually active ovarian cancer survivors and healthy women

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Center for Uterine Cancer, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea. gynlim@gmail.com
  • 3Gynecologic Cancer Branch, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
  • 4Biometric Research Branch, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
  • 5Jaseng Medical Foundation, Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
compare quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning between sexually active ovarian cancer survivors and healthy women.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed in 103 successfully treated ovarian cancer survivors and 220 healthy women. All women had engaged in sexual activity within the previous 3 months, and ovarian cancer survivors were under surveillance after primary treatment without evidence of disease. QoL and sexual functioning were assessed using three questionnaires; the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), Ovarian Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-OV28), and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Propensity score matching was used to adjust covariates between the ovarian cancer survivor and healthy women groups. In total, 73 ovarian cancer survivors and 73 healthy women were compared.
RESULTS
Poorer social functioning (mean, 82.4 vs. 90.9; p=0.010) and more financial difficulties (mean, 16.4 vs. 7.8; p=0.019) were observed among ovarian cancer survivors than among healthy women. Sexuality, both in terms of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain and in terms of interest in sex, sexual activity, and enjoyment of sex (EORTC QLQ-OV28) were similar between the groups. However, vaginal dryness was more problematic in ovarian cancer survivors, with borderline statistical significance (p=0.081).
CONCLUSION
Sexuality was not impaired in ovarian cancer survivors who were without evidence of disease after primary treatment and having sexual activities, compared with healthy women, whereas social functioning and financial status did deteriorate. Prospective cohort studies are needed.

Keyword

Cross-Sectional Studies; Ovarian Neoplasms; Quality of Life; Sexuality; Survivors

MeSH Terms

Adult
Case-Control Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health
Humans
Middle Aged
*Ovarian Neoplasms/epidemiology/psychology/rehabilitation
*Quality of Life/psychology
Sexual Behavior/*physiology/psychology
*Sexuality/physiology/psychology
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
*Survivors/psychology/statistics & numerical data

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Flow diagram depicting the selection of study population.


Cited by  1 articles

Comparison of Quality of Life and Sexuality between Cervical Cancer Survivors and Healthy Women
Yumi Lee, Myong Cheol Lim, Se Ik Kim, Jungnam Joo, Dong Ock Lee, Sang-Yoon Park
Cancer Res Treat. 2016;48(4):1321-1329.    doi: 10.4143/crt.2015.425.


Reference

1. Jung KW, Won YJ, Kong HJ, Oh CM, Lee DH, Lee JS. Prediction of cancer incidence and mortality in Korea, 2014. Cancer Res Treat. 2014; 46:124–130.
2. Lim MC, Moon EK, Shin A, Jung KW, Won YJ, Seo SS, et al. Incidence of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer in Korea, 1999-2010. J Gynecol Oncol. 2013; 24:298–302.
3. Lee JY, Kim EY, Jung KW, Shin A, Chan KK, Aoki D, et al. Trends in gynecologic cancer mortality in East Asian regions. J Gynecol Oncol. 2014; 25:174–182.
4. Bristow RE, Tomacruz RS, Armstrong DK, Trimble EL, Montz FJ. Survival effect of maximal cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian carcinoma during the platinum era: a meta-analysis. J Clin Oncol. 2002; 20:1248–1259.
5. Chi DS, Franklin CC, Levine DA, Akselrod F, Sabbatini P, Jarnagin WR, et al. Improved optimal cytoreduction rates for stages IIIC and IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer: a change in surgical approach. Gynecol Oncol. 2004; 94:650–654.
6. Wimberger P, Wehling M, Lehmann N, Kimmig R, Schmalfeldt B, Burges A, et al. Influence of residual tumor on outcome in ovarian cancer patients with FIGO stage IV disease: an exploratory analysis of the AGO-OVAR (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynaekologische Onkologie Ovarian Cancer Study Group). Ann Surg Oncol. 2010; 17:1642–1648.
7. Song YJ, Lim MC, Kang S, Seo SS, Park JW, Choi HS, et al. Total colectomy as part of primary cytoreductive surgery in advanced Mullerian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2009; 114:183–187.
8. Lim MC, Lee HS, Jung DC, Choi JY, Seo SS, Park SY. Pathological diagnosis and cytoreduction of cardiophrenic lymph node and pleural metastasis in ovarian cancer patients using video-assisted thoracic surgery. Ann Surg Oncol. 2009; 16:1990–1996.
9. Lim MC, Seo SS, Kang S, Kim SK, Kim SH, Yoo CW, et al. Intraoperative image-guided surgery for ovarian cancer. Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2012; 2:114–117.
10. Tierney DK. Sexuality: a quality-of-life issue for cancer survivors. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2008; 24:71–79.
11. Basson R. Sexual function of women with chronic illness and cancer. Womens Health (Lond Engl). 2010; 6:407–429.
12. Shifren JL, Monz BU, Russo PA, Segreti A, Johannes CB. Sexual problems and distress in United States women: prevalence and correlates. Obstet Gynecol. 2008; 112:970–978.
13. Ratner ES, Foran KA, Schwartz PE, Minkin MJ. Sexuality and intimacy after gynecological cancer. Maturitas. 2010; 66:23–26.
14. Gilbert E, Ussher JM, Perz J. Sexuality after gynaecological cancer: a review of the material, intrapsychic, and discursive aspects of treatment on women's sexual-wellbeing. Maturitas. 2011; 70:42–57.
15. Stewart DE, Wong F, Duff S, Melancon CH, Cheung AM. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger": an ovarian cancer survivor survey. Gynecol Oncol. 2001; 83:537–542.
16. Mirabeau-Beale KL, Kornblith AB, Penson RT, Lee H, Goodman A, Campos SM, et al. Comparison of the quality of life of early and advanced stage ovarian cancer survivors. Gynecol Oncol. 2009; 114:353–359.
17. Matulonis UA, Kornblith A, Lee H, Bryan J, Gibson C, Wells C, et al. Long-term adjustment of early-stage ovarian cancer survivors. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2008; 18:1183–1193.
18. Fayers P, Bottomley A. EORTC Quality of Life Group. Quality of Life Unit. Quality of life research within the EORTC-the EORTC QLQ-C30. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2002; 38:Suppl 4. S125–S133.
19. Greimel E, Bottomley A, Cull A, Waldenstrom AC, Arraras J, Chauvenet L, et al. An international field study of the reliability and validity of a disease-specific questionnaire module (the QLQ-OV28) in assessing the quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2003; 39:1402–1408.
20. Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R, et al. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): a multidimensional selfreport instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther. 2000; 26:191–208.
21. Yun YH, Park YS, Lee ES, Bang SM, Heo DS, Park SY, et al. Validation of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Qual Life Res. 2004; 13:863–868.
22. Kim HY, So HS, Park KS, Jeong SJ, Lee JY, Ryu SB. Development of the Korean-version of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Korean J Androl. 2002; 20:50–56.
23. Carmack Taylor CL, Basen-Engquist K, Shinn EH, Bodurka DC. Predictors of sexual functioning in ovarian cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2004; 22:881–889.
24. Michael A, O'Keane V. Sexual dysfunction in depression. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2000; 15:337–345.
25. Bodurka-Bevers D, Basen-Engquist K, Carmack CL, Fitzgerald MA, Wolf JK, de Moor C, et al. Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2000; 78(3 Pt 1):302–308.
26. Reis N, Beji NK, Coskun A. Quality of life and sexual functioning in gynecological cancer patients: results from quantitative and qualitative data. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2010; 14:137–146.
27. Nicolosi A, Glasser DB, Kim SC, Marumo K, Laumann EO. GSSAB Investigators' Group. Sexual behaviour and dysfunction and help-seeking patterns in adults aged 40-80 years in the urban population of Asian countries. BJU Int. 2005; 95:609–614.
28. Sun CC, Ramirez PT, Bodurka DC. Quality of life for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Nat Clin Pract Oncol. 2007; 4:18–29.
29. Hess LM, Stehman FB. State of the science in ovarian cancer quality of life research: a systematic review. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2012; 22:1273–1280.
30. Meraner V, Gamper EM, Grahmann A, Giesinger JM, Wiesbauer P, Sztankay M, et al. Monitoring physical and psychosocial symptom trajectories in ovarian cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. BMC Cancer. 2012; 12:77.
31. Gupta D, Braun DP, Staren ED, Markman M. Longitudinal healthrelated quality of life assessment: implications for prognosis in ovarian cancer. J Ovarian Res. 2013; 6:17.
32. Greimel E, Daghofer F, Petru E. Prospective assessment of quality of life in long-term ovarian cancer survivors. Int J Cancer. 2011; 128:3005–3011.
33. Mols F, Thong MS, Vreugdenhil G, van de Poll-Franse LV. Long-term cancer survivors experience work changes after diagnosis: results of a population-based study. Psychooncology. 2009; 18:1252–1260.
34. Yoo SH, Yun YH, Park S, Kim YA, Park SY, Bae DS, et al. The correlates of unemployment and its association with quality of life in cervical cancer survivors. J Gynecol Oncol. 2013; 24:367–375.
Full Text Links
  • JGO
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr