title: Treatments for invasive carcinoma of the cervix: what are their impacts on the pelvic floor functions?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe the impact of surgery, radiotherapy and chemoradiation in the pelvic floor functions in cervical cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study with women submitted to radical hysterectomy (RH) (n = 20), exclusive radiotherapy (RT) (n = 20) or chemoradiation (CT/RT) (n = 20) for invasive cervical cancer. Urinary, intestinal and sexual function, as well as vaginal length and pelvic floor muscle contraction were evaluated. Comparisons between groups were performed by Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests (p < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were similar in stress urinary incontinence incidence (p = 0.56), urinary urgency (p = 0.44), urge incontinence (p = 0.54), nocturia (p = 0.53), incomplete bowel emptying (p = 0.76), bowel urgency (p = 0.12) and soilage (p = 0.43). The CT/RT group presented a higher urinary frequency (p < 0.001) and diarrhea (p = 0.025). Patients in the RH group were more sexually active (p = 0.01) and experienced less dyspareunia (p = 0.021). Vaginal length was shorter in RT group (5.5 ± 1.9 cm) and CT/RT(5.3 ± 1.5 cm) than in the RH group (7.4 ± 1.1 cm) (p < 0.001). Pelvic floor muscle contraction was similar (p = 0.302).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RT and CT/RT treatment for cervical carcinoma are more associated to sexual and intestinal dysfunctions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Mastology, Botucatu Medical School State University of São Paulo UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra Ferreira de
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Noronha
authors.forename: Elyonara
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mello de Figueiredo
authors.forename: Telma Maria
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Rossi de Figueiredo Franco
authors.forename: Eduardo Batista
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Cândido
authors.forename: Agnaldo L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Silva-Filho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014621:Vagina / Q000503:physiopathology