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UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Bridging the Gap: Transforming Knowledge into Action

July 8-12, 2006, Washington, DC, USA

Sunday, 9 July 2006 - 3:45 PM
66-2

Sexual function in survivors of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)

Ellen I. Beckjord, PhD, MPH1, Neeraj K. Arora, PhD2, Keith Bellizzi, PhD, MPH, MA3, and Julia Rowland, PhD3. (1) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd. Room 4051A MSC 7365, Bethesda, MD 20892-7365, (2) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Outcomes Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892, (3) Office of Cancer Survivorship, National Cancer Institute, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 404, Room 4042, Bethesda, MD 20892

Objective: Sexual functioning is an important component of quality of life, though little is known about sexual outcomes in survivors of cancers that affect both genders, such as NHL. We will characterize sexual function in 184 adult male and female NHL survivors 2 to 5 years post-diagnosis.

Methods: NHL survivors in Los Angeles County diagnosed between June 1998 and August 2001 were invited to participate. Questionnaires on sexual functioning (problems with arousal, desire, and orgasm) and physical and mental health were mailed to participants and medical records were abstracted.

Results: 45% of female and 58% of male NHL survivors had engaged in sexual activity in the past month. Younger age and having a partner were associated with greater odds of engaging in sexual activity for both women and men (p<0.05); better physical and mental health were associated with sexual activity for men alone (p<0.05). Female survivors reported more problems with arousal, desire, and orgasm than males (p<0.05). In a multivariable model of sexual functioning for women, older age, shorter time since diagnosis, and worse physical and mental health were associated with poorer sexual functioning. For men, only older age and worse mental health were associated with poorer sexual functioning (all p<0.05). These results give insight into the sexual well-being of NHL survivors, describe factors that affect sexual functioning differently for men and women, and suggest mental and physical health as modifiable targets of interventions to improve the sexual functioning of NHL survivors.


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