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Open Access 01-12-2020 | Cystectomy | Research article

Unmet needs in sexual health in bladder cancer patients: a systematic review of the evidence

Authors: Agustina Bessa, Rebecca Martin, Christel Häggström, Deborah Enting, Suzanne Amery, Muhammad Shamim Khan, Fidelma Cahill, Harriet Wylie, Samantha Broadhead, Kathryn Chatterton, Sachin Malde, Rajesh Nair, Ramesh Thurairaja, Pardeep Kumar, Anna Haire, Saran Green, Margaret Northover, Karen Briggs, Mieke Van Hemelrijck

Published in: BMC Urology | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

Bladder cancer (BC) treatment can have a detrimental effect on the sexual organs of patients and yet assessment of sexual health needs has been greatly overlooked for these patients compared to those who have undergone other cancer therapies.

Methods

This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in July 2019. Studies were identified by conducting searches for Medline (using the PubMed interface), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Ovid Gateway (Embase and Ovid) using a list of defined search terms.

Results

15 out of 37 studies included men only, 10 studies women only and 11 both sexes. Most participants were aged 50 to 65 years. Most studies (n = 34) focused on muscle invasive BC and only three on non-muscle invasive BC. Measurements of sexual dysfunction, including erection, ejaculation, firmness and desire, were the most commonly used measurements to report sexual health in men. In women, lubrification/dryness, desire, orgasm and dyspareunia were the most commonly reported. Twenty-one studies evaluated sexual dysfunction based on validated questionnaires, two with a non-validated questionnaire and through interviewing participants.

Conclusion

While recognition of the importance of the inclusion of psychometric measurements to assess sexual health is growing, there is a lack of consistent measures to assess sexual health in BC. With the focus on QoL arising in cancer survivorship, further studies are needed to develop, standardize and implement use of sexual health questionnaires with appropriate psychometrics and social measures to evaluate QoL in BC patients.

Trial registration

“PROSPERO does not currently accept registrations for scoping reviews, literature reviews or mapping reviews. PROSPERO is therefore unable to accept your application or provide a registration number. This decision should not stop you from submitting your project for publication to a journal.”

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Title: Unmet needs in sexual health in bladder cancer patients: a systematic review of the evidence
Authors: Agustina Bessa
Rebecca Martin
Christel Häggström
Deborah Enting
Suzanne Amery
Muhammad Shamim Khan
Fidelma Cahill
Harriet Wylie
Samantha Broadhead
Kathryn Chatterton
Sachin Malde
Rajesh Nair
Ramesh Thurairaja
Pardeep Kumar
Anna Haire
Saran Green
Margaret Northover
Karen Briggs
Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Cystectomy
Published in: BMC Urology / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2490
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12894-020-00634-1

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Unmet needs in sexual health in bladder cancer patients: a systematic review of the evidence

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Trial registration

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Trial registration

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