Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 22, 2026
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
Self reported experience of sexual function and quality after abdominoperineal excision in a prospective cohort
Eva Angenete1, Dan Asplund1, John Andersson2
1Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Introduction:
Rectal cancer treatment, especially abdominoperineal excision (APE), can cause sexual dysfunction. There are indications that pre-operative information regarding sexual dysfunction is inadequate. The aim of this study was to explore self reported sexual function in a group of patients operated with APE and the patients' remembrance of preoperative information more than one year after their surgical procedure.
Methods:
Consecutive patients with rectal cancer operated with APE in one institution between 2004 and 2009 were included. Data was collected from hospital records and the Swedish Colorectal cancer registry. A detailed questionnaire was sent out to the patients 13-84 months post-operatively.
Results:
One hundred and eight patients were alive in February 2011, 84 agreed to participate and 89% returned the questionnaire. Men and women did not differ regarding age, tumour stage, neoadjuvant treatment or type of surgical procedure. More men were involved in a relationship; men had more thoughts about sex, were less satisfied and were more bothered than women by their sexual dysfunction. A majority of patients did not retain sufficient knowledge from the preoperative information regarding sexual dysfunction.
Discussion:
This exploratory study shows that although sexual activity was similar between the two genders, men reported more bother by their self-reported sexual dysfunction after an APE than women did. However, both men and women felt that the preoperative information was inadequate.
Conclusion:
Surgeons should focus more on information about the risk of sexual dysfunction as well as on its treatment at follow-up.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01323166.
