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The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Frechette, D; Paquet, L; Verma, S; Clemons, M; Wheatley-Price, P; Gertler, SZ; Song, X; Graham, N; Dent, S
Published in: Breast Cancer Res Treat
August 2013

The goal of this project was to investigate the contentious issue of a possible effect of endocrine therapy (ET) on sexual dysfunction (SD) in postmenopausal early stage breast cancer survivors. To date, few studies have assessed sexual functioning prior to initiating ET and none have taken sexual distress into account when reporting the prevalence of ET-induced SD. We report the findings of a study on the change in SD (defined as experiencing sexual problems causing distress) during the first 6 months of ET usage. Between January 2009 and May 2011, 118 patients entered the study and 66 completed questionnaires prior to initiation of ET and after 6 months of use. Sexual functioning (SF) was evaluated with the female sexual function index while sexual distress was assessed with the female sexual distress scale (FSDS-R). Gynecological symptoms were measured with the FACT-B ES subscale. Over time, the level of gynecological symptoms increased (p < 0.001), whereas no decline in SF was observed. The percentage of women who reported experiencing at least one sexual problem (85 %) and the percentage who were sexually distressed (30 %) remained the same across time. Importantly, the change in the prevalence of SD between baseline (24 %) and 6 months (29 %) was not statistically significant. Women experiencing SD at baseline were more likely to experience SD after 6 months of ET usage (OR = 7.4, 95 % CI = 1.5-36.9) than women who had no SD prior to initiating ET. The observation that SF remained stable across time is encouraging news. However, longer follow-up and the inclusion of women who were premenopausal at diagnosis are needed to determine the potential influence of extended duration of ET (e.g., at least 5 years) on SD. Further studies, including assessing the impact of early identification of patients at risk of developing SD and timely intervention, are warranted.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Breast Cancer Res Treat

DOI

EISSN

1573-7217

Publication Date

August 2013

Volume

141

Issue

1

Start / End Page

111 / 117

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Tamoxifen
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Risk Factors
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Prospective Studies
  • Progesterone
  • Prevalence
  • Postmenopause
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Frechette, D., Paquet, L., Verma, S., Clemons, M., Wheatley-Price, P., Gertler, S. Z., … Dent, S. (2013). The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 141(1), 111–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-013-2659-y
Frechette, Dominique, Lise Paquet, Shailendra Verma, Mark Clemons, Paul Wheatley-Price, Stan Z. Gertler, Xinni Song, Nadine Graham, and Susan Dent. “The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study.Breast Cancer Res Treat 141, no. 1 (August 2013): 111–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-013-2659-y.
Frechette D, Paquet L, Verma S, Clemons M, Wheatley-Price P, Gertler SZ, et al. The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2013 Aug;141(1):111–7.
Frechette, Dominique, et al. “The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study.Breast Cancer Res Treat, vol. 141, no. 1, Aug. 2013, pp. 111–17. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10549-013-2659-y.
Frechette D, Paquet L, Verma S, Clemons M, Wheatley-Price P, Gertler SZ, Song X, Graham N, Dent S. The impact of endocrine therapy on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer: encouraging results from a prospective study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2013 Aug;141(1):111–117.
Journal cover image

Published In

Breast Cancer Res Treat

DOI

EISSN

1573-7217

Publication Date

August 2013

Volume

141

Issue

1

Start / End Page

111 / 117

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Tamoxifen
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Risk Factors
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Prospective Studies
  • Progesterone
  • Prevalence
  • Postmenopause