title: Prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in women with suspected gynecological malignancy: a survey-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understanding of pelvic floor disorders among women with gynecological cancer is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in women with suspected gynecological malignancy before surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed of women aged ≥18 with a suspected gynecological malignancy who enrolled in the University of North Carolina Health Registry/Cancer Survivorship Cohort (HR/CSC) from August 2012 to June 2013. Demographics were obtained from the HR/CSC self-reported data; clinical data were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Subjects completed validated questionnaires (Rotterdam Symptom Checklist and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) to assess bladder and bowel function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 186 women scheduled for surgery for gynecological malignancy, 152 (82 %) completed baseline assessments before surgery. Mean age was 58.1 ± 13.3 years, and mean BMI was 33.6 ± 8.8 kg/m(2). The majority of subjects had uterine cancer (61.8 %), followed by ovarian (17.1 %) and cervical (11.1 %). At baseline, the rate of urinary incontinence (UI) was 40.9 %. A third of subjects reported stress UI, and one quarter reported urge UI. The overall rate of fecal incontinence was 3.9 %, abdominal pain was 47.4 %, constipation was 37.7 %, and diarrhea was 20.1 %. When comparing cancer types, there were no differences in pelvic floor symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pelvic floor disorders are common in women with suspected gynecological malignancy at baseline before surgery. Recognizing pelvic floor disorders in the preoperative setting will allow for more individualized, comprehensive care for these women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7570, 3032 Old Clinics Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7570, USA. cbretsch@unch.unc.edu.
authors.forename: C Emi
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bretschneider
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Kemi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Doll
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jeannette T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bensen
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Paola A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gehrig
authors.affiliation: Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7570, 3032 Old Clinics Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7570, USA.|Center for Women's Health Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Division of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7570, 3032 Old Clinics Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7570, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Geller
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Fecal incontinence; Gynecological cancer; Pelvic floor disorders; Urinary incontinence