title: Sexual dysfunction in women on adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to investigate sexual function in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with aromatase inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among postmenopausal breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine treatment and age-matched controls with and without estrogen treatment. Sexual function was assessed with a standardized questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 42.4% of aromatase inhibitor-treated breast cancer patients were dissatisfied with their sex life in general, and 50.0% reported low sexual interest; this was significantly more common than in tamoxifen-treated patients and controls (P < 0.05). Aromatase inhibitor-treated patients reported insufficient lubrication in 73.9% and dyspareunia in 56.5% of cases, which were significantly more common than in controls, irrespective of hormonal use (P < 0.05). Tamoxifen-treated patients reported significantly more dyspareunia (31.3%; P < 0.05) but resembled controls in all other concerns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that sexual dysfunction in aromatase inhibitor-treated women is a greatly underestimated problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden. juliane.baumgart@orebroll.se
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumgart
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Anneli Stavreus
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Evers
authors.forename: Theodora Kunovac
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kallak
authors.forename: Inger Sundström
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Poromaa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D013629:Tamoxifen