Beyond the numbers: sexual life in women with gynecological cancer

Sexual problems are among the most common challenges faced by women with gynecological cancer, as cancer symptoms and treatments often negatively impact their sexual health.

This mixed-methods study was conducted to determine the sexual life experiences of women having gynecological cancer treatment.

The study was carried out between February and June 2024 in the gynecologic oncology department of a city hospital with 14 women who were not in the period of menopause, diagnosed with cancer for the first time, and were sexually active. A personal information form, the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R), and a semi-structured interview form were used as data collection tools. The analysis of qualitative data was carried out using conventional content analysis.

The mean age of the women was 38.21 ± 4.40 and the mean FSDS-R score was 18.71 ± 7.18. It was observed that gynecological cancer diagnosis and treatment negatively affected daily living activities, emotional states, body image, and sexual lives of women. The experiences of the participants were grouped into four main and ten sub-themes. The main themes are: "Feelings related to cancer diagnosis", "The effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment on life", "The effects of cancer on body image/perception of femininity", "Sexual life".

This study highlights the profound impact of gynecological cancer and its treatment on women's sexual health and overall quality of life. Women face multidimensional challenges encompassing emotional, physical, relational and sexual domains. These findings underline the importance of incorporating comprehensive psychosocial care including sexual counseling into the standard management of gynecological cancer.