A multimodal intervention to enhance sexual function and quality of life (QOL) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) survivors.

Authors

null

Sarah Fishman

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Sarah Fishman , Julie Vanderklish , Don S. Dizon , Lara Traeger , Elyse R. Park , Yi-Bin Albert Chen , Steven L. McAfee , Thomas R. Spitzer , Zachariah Michael DeFilipp , Jennifer Temel , Areej El-Jawahri

Organizations

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA

Research Funding

Other Foundation

Background: Although sexual dysfunction is a common long-term complication in allogeneic HCT survivors, interventions to address sexual dysfunction are lacking. Methods: We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a multimodal sexual dysfunction intervention to improve sexual function in allogeneic HCT survivors. Transplant clinicians systematically screened all HCT survivors ≥ 3 months post-HCT for sexual dysfunction causing distress using the NCCN Survivorship Guidelines. Those who screened positive attended monthly intervention visits with trained study clinicians that focused on 1) assessing sexual dysfunction; 2) educating and empowering patients to address this topic; and 3) implementing therapeutic interventions. We used the PROMIS Sexual Function and Satisfaction Measure, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess sexual function, QOL, and mood at baseline and six months post-intervention, respectively. Results: 32.7% (49/150) of patients screened positive for sexual dysfunction causing distress. 95.9% (47/49) of patients who screened positive agreed to participate. We demonstrated significant improvement in patients’ satisfaction and interest in sex as well as sexual function including orgasm, erectile function, lubrication, and vaginal discomfort [Table]. Six of ten patients who were not sexually active prior to the intervention became sexually active post-intervention (P = 0.031). Patients reported improvement in their QOL and a trend toward lower depression [Table]. Conclusions: The multimodal intervention to address sexual dysfunction appears feasible with encouraging preliminary efficacy for improving sexual function, QOL, and mood in allogeneic HCT survivors. Clinical trial information: NCT02492100

Patient outcomes:Pre-InterventionPost-InterventionP- Value
Satisfaction with sex10.5223.61<0.0001
Interest in sex11.3013.740.039
Orgasm1.572.780.011
Erectile function17.329.20.002
Lubrication9.3822.850.005
Vaginal discomfort41.6927.150.004
QOL105.43116.030.036
Depression4.353.040.134
Anxiety3.884.340.431

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2017 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Discussion Session

Session Title

Patient and Survivor Care

Track

Patient and Survivor Care

Sub Track

Survivorship

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT02492100

Citation

J Clin Oncol 35, 2017 (suppl; abstr 10013)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2017.35.15_suppl.10013

Abstract #

10013

Poster Bd #

2

Abstract Disclosures

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