Impact of treatment modality on pelvic floor dysfunction among uterine cancer survivors

Pelvic Floor Therapy and Initial Interventions for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Gynecologic Malignancies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review provides evidence-based updates for the first-line management approaches for pelvic floor disorders in patients with gynecologic malignancies, as well as important provider considerations when referring for pelvic floor physical therapy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Currently, there is strong evidence to recommend pelvic floor muscle training as initial treatment for urinary incontinence and for pelvic organ prolapse; some evidence to recommend a more targeted pelvic floor muscle training program for fecal incontinence; and mostly expertise-based evidence to recommend vaginal gels or estrogen to aid with dyspareunia causing sexual dysfunction. More research is greatly needed to understand the role of overactive pelvic floor muscles in survivors with chronic pelvic pain and the treatment of post-radiation pelvic complications such as vaginal stenosis and cystitis. While pelvic floor disorders are common concerns in gynecologic cancer survivors, there are evidence-based initial noninvasive treatment approaches that can provide relief for many individuals.

Comparing long-term sexual dysfunction across different uterine cancer treatment modalities

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study was to assess differences in long-term sexual and menopausal side effects after uterine cancer treatment among treatment modalities.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

This is a cross-sectional study that examined women treated for uterine cancer from 2006-2018. Eligible women included those who underwent a hysterectomy/bilateral salpino-oophorectemy alone (HS), with brachytherapy (BT), or with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). A noncancer cohort of women who underwent a hysterectomy/BSO for benign indications were also identified (non-CA). To compare outcomes, we utilized a shortened form of the female sexual function index (FSFI) and the menopause survey, which consists of 3 subscales: hot flashes, vaginal symptoms, and urinary symptoms. Demographic, comorbidity, and other treatment variables were collected. Survey totals were compared across cohorts using ANOVA tests and logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 284 women completed the Menopause Survey (Non-CA 64, HS 60, BT 69, EBRT 91); 116 women reported sexual activity in the last 4 weeks and completed the FSFI (NC 32, HS 21, BT 31, EBRT 32). The mean FSFI score for the entire cohort was 11.4 (SD 4.16), which indicates poor sexual function. There was no significant difference between any cohort in the overall FSFI score (p = 0.708) or in any of the FSFI subscales (all p > 0.05). On univariate analysis, BT was associated with fewer menopausal hot flashes and vaginal symptoms compared to the non-CA cohort (p < 0.05), which did not persist on multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in sexual dysfunction or menopausal symptoms in those treated for uterine cancer with or without adjuvant radiation. Most patients reported poor sexual function.

Multimorbidity in people living with and beyond cancer: a scoping review

Globally, both cancer incidence and survival are increasing. Early cancer detection and improved treatment means many people with cancer will survive for ten or more years following diagnosis. Multimorbidity, defined as two or more chronic conditions, is up to three times higher in people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) compared to the general population. This scoping review summarises the research evidence on the association between cancer and multimorbidity in people LWBC. It explores five key domains in people LWBC: 1) prevalence of multimorbidity, 2) association between ethnicity and socio-economic status (SES) and multimorbidity, 3) association between health status and multimorbidity, 4) adverse health consequences of cancer and related treatments, and 5) whether being a cancer survivor impacts treatment received for multimorbidity. It focuses on ten common cancers with high survival rates: prostate, breast, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bowel/colorectal, kidney, head and neck, bladder, leukaemia, uterine and myeloma. A search of Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsychINFO and Web of Science databases identified 9,460 articles, 115 of which met the inclusion criteria. Articles were included in the review that involved multimorbidity in adult cancer patients. An evaluation of the evidence was performed, and a summary of findings was generated according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. This review included work from 20 countries, most studies were from the US (44%). The results showed that the most common long-term conditions in people LWBC were: hypertension, heart conditions, depression, COPD, and diabetes. The most reported incident comorbidities after a cancer diagnosis were congestive heart failure, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. Multimorbidity tended to be higher amongst people LWBC from ethnic minority groups and those with lower SES. Quality of life was poorer in people LWBC with multimorbidity. The review identified the need for a uniform approach to measure multimorbidity in cancer patients across the world. Further research is required to compare multimorbidity before and after a cancer diagnosis, to explore the association of multimorbidity with ethnicity and socio-economic status and to determine whether a cancer diagnosis impacts care received for multimorbidity in people LWBC.

Pelvic floor dysfunction and its influencing factors during radiotherapy in cervical cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Radiotherapy can negatively affect the pelvic floor function of patients with cervical cancer; however, the impact of different radiotherapy times and other related factors on pelvic floor function in cervical cancer survivors during radiotherapy remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the status of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in cervical cancer survivors during radiotherapy and to analyze the factors influencing PFD.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit cervical cancer survivors undergoing radiotherapy from January 2022 to July 2022 at a tertiary first-class hospital located in northeastern China. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form 20 was used for participants' self-report of their PFD during radiotherapy.

RESULTS

Data from 120 cervical cancer survivors were included in this study. The results showed that the mean PFDI-20 total score was 32.69 ± 7.76. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that 56.9% of the variance in PFD was explained by age (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), body mass index (β = 0.32, p < 0.001), recurrence (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), number of radiotherapy sessions (β = 0.39, p < 0.001), and number of deliveries (β = 0.35, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It is important to pay more attention to the PFD status of cervical cancer survivors receiving radiotherapy. Future therapeutic approaches should involve early identification of relevant risk factors early to provide patients with personalized care at different stages of radiotherapy for reducing their discomfort and improving their health-related quality of life.

Impact of Treatment Modality on Quality of Life Among Uterine Cancer Survivors

AIMS

Our understanding of the impact of adjuvant therapy on longitudinal quality of life (QoL) following surgery for patients with uterine cancer is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare QoL in patients who have undergone surgery with or without radiation therapy for uterine cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional cohort study that examined women treated for uterine cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2006 to 2017. Participants included those who underwent hysterectomy/bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy alone, with brachytherapy or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). A non-cancer cohort of women who underwent a hysterectomy/bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy for benign indications was also identified (non-CA). To compare QoL we used the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Endometrial survey (FACT-En), a validated survey used to assess QoL. The survey has five subscales: physical, social, emotional, functional and an endometrial cancer-specific subscale. Cohorts were compared using ANOVA tests.

RESULTS

In total, 309 women responded to the questionnaire (hysterectomy/bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy 64, brachytherapy 77, EBRT 96, non-CA 72). The median time from surgery to survey completion was 6.7 years. The mean total FACT-En score for the entire cohort was 144 [standard deviation 22]. Overall QoL was different between cohorts, with the EBRT cohort reporting the lowest QoL (mean 139.4 [21.6]) and the brachytherapy cohort the highest (150.6 [18.2], P = 0.006). Among patients who had undergone cancer treatment, the EBRT cohort reported the worst endometrial-specific QoL (53.5 [8.6]), while again the brachytherapy group reported the highest score (57.5 [6.1], P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

QoL differences in women who have undergone different treatments for uterine cancer may persist years after treatment. In women with endometrial cancer who require adjuvant therapy, brachytherapy does not appear to have any long-term detriments on QoL.