Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in female lymphoma survivors after autologous stem-cell transplantation and is associated with younger age, chronic fatigue, and mental distress

Sexual function in female lymphoma survivors after high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation (auto-SCT) is largely unstudied. Female lymphoma survivors treated with auto-SCT in Norway 1987-2008 were eligible participants (n = 157). A multi-item questionnaire including a complete Se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bone marrow transplantation (Basingstoke) 2021-04, Vol.56 (4), p.968-970
Main Authors: Bersvendsen, Hanne Skjerven, Haugnes, Hege Sagstuen, Dahl, Alv A, Fagerli, Unn-Merete, Fluge, Øystein, Holte, Harald, Wilsgaard, Tom, Smeland, Knut Bjøro, Kiserud, Cecilie Essholt
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Aged
Autografts
Care and treatment
Confidence intervals
Fatigue
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
Female
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - adverse effects
Hormone replacement therapy
Humans
Lymphoma
Lymphoma - therapy
Lymphomas
Norway - epidemiology
Observations
Questionnaires
Risk factors
Sex factors in disease
Sexual behavior
Sexual disorders
Stem cell transplantation
Stem cells
Survival
Survivors
Transplantation
Transplantation, Autologous
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Summary:Sexual function in female lymphoma survivors after high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation (auto-SCT) is largely unstudied. Female lymphoma survivors treated with auto-SCT in Norway 1987-2008 were eligible participants (n = 157). A multi-item questionnaire including a complete Sexual Activity Questionnaire was returned by 70% (n = 110) of the women. A comparison to age-matched normative controls was performed. Sexual inactivity was equal among survivors and controls. The survivors reported personal issues more frequent as reason for inactivity compared with controls (44% vs. 28%, p = 0.04). The sexually active survivors reported more sexual discomfort, greater reduction in frequency of sexual activity, and more sex-related tiredness compared with controls (p value and effect size [95% confidence interval]; p ≤ 0.001, 0.70 [0.44, 0.97], p = 0.03, -0.29 [-0.55, -0.03] and p ≤ 0.001, 0.64 [0.37, 0.90], respectively). Sexual activity was related to older age (odds ratio (OR) 0.58 [0.43, 0.82] per 10 years), being in a relationship (OR 28.6 [6.9, 118.9]) and hormonal replacement therapy (OR 6.0 [1.49, 24.2]). Tiredness in relation to sexual activity was associated with younger age, chronic fatigue and mental distress. Sexual inactivity due to personal issues was more frequent and among those sexually active, a higher rate of sexual dysfunction exists among auto-SCT survivors compared with controls. Hence, sexual function should be addressed at regular timepoints during the cancer trajectory.
ISSN:0268-3369
1476-5365
DOI:10.1038/s41409-020-01098-5