Sexual function and quality of life in gynecological cancer pre- and post-short-term brachytherapy: a prospective...

To evaluate the sexual function and quality of life pre- and post-gynecological cancer treatment with high-dose rate brachytherapy in the short term.

This is a descriptive and prospective study involving 20 women diagnosed with gynecological cancer aged between 18 and 70 years, resident in Florianopolis and the surrounding region. We used the Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (QLQ-C30) 3.0 to assess quality of life pre- and post-brachytherapy treatment and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess sexual function.

Regarding quality of life, significant worsening was observed for the items loss of appetite (p = 0.002) and diarrhea (p = 0.045) from pre- to post-brachytherapy treatment, whereas constipation (p = 0.013) improved. For sexual function, the statistical difference was found exclusively in the domain of lubrication reduction (p = 0.046). Only nine women were sexually active before and after brachytherapy treatment.

There was a worsening of quality of life in comparing pre- and post-evaluations related to gastrointestinal symptoms over a period equivalent to 40 days. Regarding sexual function, lack of lubrication was identified in short-term post-gynecological cancer brachytherapy.