Sexual Health and Burden of Late Effects in Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

The PhD project Sexual Health and Burden of Late Effects in Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors demonstrates that younger breast cancer survivors and those treated with intensive systemic therapies are at increased risk of reduced sexual health and a higher burden of late effects long-term. Moving forward, these breast cancer survivors should be offered closer survivorship care. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. Breast cancer survivors may experience a broad range of late effects, one of them being reduced sexual health. Our knowledge of this topic among long-term breast cancer survivors is, however, limited. Also, breast cancer survivors may experience several late effects simultaneously. Identification of subgroups with a higher burden of late effects may enable a more focused survivorship care. Based on a nation-wide survey of 1355 breast cancer survivors 8 years after diagnosis, this PhD project explored these issues. About half (52%) of the breast cancer survivors were sexually inactive, mostly due to no interest in sex (35%) and not having a partner (27%). Treatment with aromatase-inhibitor, chemotherapy and the presence of several late effects were associated with reduced sexual health. The breast cancer survivors reported poorer sexual health than similar aged women in the general population. The largest differences were observed among breast cancer survivors diagnosed before menopause, and among those treated with both endocrine- and chemotherapy. Three subgroups of breast cancer survivors with different total burden of late effects were identified. Almost half (46%) were categorized as having a low burden of late effects, while 37% and 17% respectively, were categorized as having medium and high burden of late effects. Younger age, combined systemic therapy, higher BMI and physical inactivity were risk factors for having medium- and high burden of late effects.