Radical Cystectomy and Perioperative Sexual Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Sexual Medicine

Background:

• Sexual function (SF) is crucial for quality of life but often impacted by cancer treatments.
• Data on SF in patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer is limited.
• Radical cystectomy (RC) involves bladder removal, significantly affecting patients' physical and psychological well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare perioperative sexual function (SF) in patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC).
• To identify factors associated with sexual function outcomes after RC.
• To provide insights into the sexual health needs of bladder cancer survivors.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 150 patients undergoing RC for bladder cancer.
• Utilized the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire-Bladder Cancer Muscle Invasive (EORTC QLQ-BLM 30) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bladder.
• Analysis included descriptive statistics and generalized linear modeling to assess SF outcomes.

Main Results:

• 88% of patients were eligible for analysis (n=132), with a median age of 68.5 years.
• 53% expressed interest in sexual activity, and 40% reported recent sexual activity.
• Female patients reported significantly worse SF scores (72.9) compared to males (59.1); older age and female gender were independently associated with worse SF scores.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of patients undergoing RC maintain sexual interest and activity in the perioperative period.
• Female gender is independently associated with poorer sexual function outcomes post-RC.
• Further research and interventions are needed to improve sexual function and quality of life for RC patients.