Sexual function of patients under surveillance for bladder cancer

• Published in: BJU international 2009-07, Vol.104 (1), p.35-40
• Main Authors: Van Der Aa, Madelon N.M., Bekker, Milou D., Van Der Kwast, Theo H., Essink‐Bot, Marie‐Louise, Steyerberg, Ewout W., Zwarthoff, Ellen C., Sen, Fatma E.F., Elzevier, Henk W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Cystoscopy; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Humans; Libido; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - etiology; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - etiology; sexual function; Sexual Partners; surveillance; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - complications; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - psychology; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; urothelial cancer
• ISSN: 1464-4096; 1464-410X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2008.08333.x

OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and evaluate risk factors in patients just diagnosed with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMI UC), who have the prospect of an intensive surveillance scheme by cysto‐urethroscopy to detect tumour recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a cross‐sectional survey on 150 patients just diagnosed with primary or recurrent NMI UC. Patients were participating in a randomized clinical multicentre trial (CEFuB), comparing two surveillance schemes. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires at study entry 3 months before the start of the study‐surveillance scheme (demographic characteristics, a validated visual analogue scale, and validated subset of questions on sexual function and performance derived from QLQ‐BLS‐24). The results were compared with those from an age‐and gender‐matched healthy population. RESULTS The response rate was 95% (142/150); 61% (87/142) of the respondents were sexually active in the previous 4 weeks after diagnosis, 66% (70/105) of men and 46% (17/37) of women. Although libido was not negatively affected, 54% (47/87) of the patients had a sexual dysfunction, and 23% (17/73) were afraid to inflict harm on their partner by sexual contact. Sexually active patients perceived a higher state of general health (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with NMI UC is very high (54%) compared with an age‐ and gender‐matched healthy population (20–45%). No predictors for sexual dysfunction were found. These patients and partners would benefit from proper sexual information in the outpatient clinic.