Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Treatments in gynecologic cancer can affect a patient's psychosexual status and quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual satisfaction levels in patients with gynecological cancer (GC). We also evaluated the relationship between sexual status of these patients with the psychological status (anxiety and depression) and quality of life.

METHODS

The data for GC patients treated with chemotherapy or in surveillance were collected by using four forms completed during face-to-face interviews. The first form consists of socio-demographic features. Other forms were Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS), European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Questionnaires Quality of Life-C30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scoring system.

RESULTS

In this study, 62 patients with GC were included. The mean total GRISS score was 37.54±11.71 and sexual dissatisfaction was seen in 33 patients (53%) according to GRISS cut-off score>35. Depression scores (p=0.010) and STAI-II scores (p=0.044) were significantly higher, and EORTC-QLQ-C30 function subcales (physical functioning (p= 0.004), cognitive functioning (p=0.021), emotional functioning (p=0.019)) and the global quality-of-life (p=0.022) were significantly lower in patients with high total GRISS scores (≥35) when compared with the patients with low total GRISS scores (<35).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Patients with sexual dissatisfaction have poor quality of life, and they are generally anxious and depressive. Besides the oncological treatments of the GC patients, it is necessary to make integration of sexuality rehabilitation and physiological status into their routine assessment.