title: If I am in the mood, I enjoy it: an exploration of cancer-related fatigue and sexual functioning in women with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We recently reported that cancer-related fatigue (CRF) after adjuvant breast cancer therapy was prevalent and disabling, but largely self-limiting within 12 months. The current paper describes sexual functioning (SF) and its relationship to CRF, mood disorder, and quality of life (QOL) over the first year after completion of adjuvant therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women were recruited after surgery, but prior to commencing adjuvant treatment, for early-stage breast cancer. Self-reported validated questionnaires assessed SF, CRF, mood, menopausal symptoms, disability, and QOL at baseline, completion of therapy, and at 6 months and 12 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 218 participants, 92 (42%) completed the SF measure (mean age, 50 years). They were significantly younger, more likely to be partnered, and less likely to be postmenopausal than nonresponders. At baseline, 40% reported problems with sexual interest and 60% reported problems with physical sexual function. SF scores declined across all domains at the end of treatment, then improved but remained below baseline at 12 months, with a significant temporal effect in the physical SF subscale and a trend for overall satisfaction. There were significant correlations between the SF and QOL domains (physical and emotional health, social functioning, and general health) as well as overall QOL. The presence of mood disorder, but not fatigue, demographic, or treatment variables, independently predicted worse overall sexual satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual dysfunction is common after breast cancer therapy and impacts QOL. Interventions should include identification and treatment of concomitant mood disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, High Street, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia. k.webber@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Webber
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Juraskova
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires