Sexual Functioning in Women with breast Cancer Comparing Women Treated with Systemic Adjuvant Therapy to Women Treated without Pharmacological Manipulation.

摘要

The purpose of this research was to describe current sexual functioning in women with breast cancer comparing women treated with chemotherapy or endocrine therapy to women treated without pharmacological manipulation. Sixty-seven women diagnosed with Stage I, II, or III breast cancer responded to a two part mailed questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire asked about menopausal symptoms (weight changes, hot flashes, mood swings, and anxiety attacks) the women might currently be experiencing and about various symptoms that might be currently interfering with sexual functioning (vaginal dryness, decreased libido, dyspareunia, and difficulty achieving orgasm). The second part of the questionnaire was the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI) designed to measure current sexual functioning in ten areas.