title: Sexual and reproductive health in cancer survivors.
abstract: As patients live longer after cancer diagnosis and treatment, attention to symptoms and quality of life (QoL) are of increasing importance both during treatment and throughout survivorship. Two complications of multi-modal cancer treatment that can profoundly affect both men and women are sexual dysfunction and infertility. Survivors at highest risk for treatment-related sexual dysfunction are those with tumors that involve the sexual or pelvic organs and those whose treatment affects the hormonal systems mediating sexual function. Sexual dysfunction may not abate without appropriate intervention. Therefore, early identification and treatment strategies are essential. Likewise, multiple factors contribute to the risk of infertility from cancer treatment and many cancer patients of reproductive age would prefer to maintain their fertility, if possible. Fortunately, advances in reproductive technology have created options for young newly diagnosed patients to preserve their ability to have a biologic child. This paper will focus on the sexual and reproductive problems encountered by cancer survivors and discuss some treatment options.
authors: Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.. Electronic address: goldfars@mskcc.org.
authors: Shari
authors: S
authors: Goldfarb
authors: Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Mulhall
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Nelson
authors: Office of Physician-In-Chief Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Kelvin
authors: Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.; Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Dickler
authors: Departments of Surgery and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors: Jeanne
authors: J
authors: Carter
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000628:therapy; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D017741:Survivors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal