Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28881456›Full record

ArticleCancer2018

Improvement in sexual function after ovarian cancer: Effects of sexual therapy and rehabilitation after treatment for ovarian cancer.

Sharon L Bober, Christopher J Recklitis, Alexis L Michaud, Alexi A Wright

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
29citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.9field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

29 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Mindfulness-based interventions for addressing sexual function after cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
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  3. Effectiveness of psychoeducation intervention among women with gynecological cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Pooled it
  4. A systematic review and meta-analysis of couple-based intervention on sexuality and the quality of life of cancer patients and their partners.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2020
    Pooled it
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  14. A physical therapy program to treat late-effect vaginal stenosis in gynecological cancer survivors: An interventional study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sharon L BoberDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2793-2620
Christopher J RecklitisDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Alexis L MichaudDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Alexi A WrightDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Harvard University · USDana-Farber Cancer Institute · US

Funding

Chemotherapy Near Death: Modifiable Factors and Outcomes in Ovarian CancerK07CA166210 · NCI · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · PI WRIGHT, ALEXI A · 2013 to 2017
$886k
The High Cost of Risk Reduction: Addressing Sexual Dysfunction after OophorectomyR03CA153815 · NCI · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · PI BOBER, SHARON L. · 2011 to 2012
$175k
NCI NIH HHS K07 CA166210NCI NIH HHS R03 CA153815
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSexual dysfunction is a distressing long-term effect after gynecological cancer and affects the majority of survivors for years after the completion of therapy. Despite its prevalence, treatment-related sexual dysfunction is underrecognized and undertreated for survivors. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop and test a brief psychoeducational intervention for managing sexual dysfunction for women who have undergone treatment for ovarian cancer (OC).

methodsForty-six OC survivors with documented, treatment-related sexual dysfunction received a single half-day group intervention that included sexual health education and rehabilitation training, relaxation and cognitive behavioral therapy skills to address sexual symptoms, and a single tailored booster telephone call 4 weeks after the group. Assessment measures were completed at the baseline (baseline 1), after an 8-week no-treatment run-in period (baseline 2), and then again 2 and 6 months after the intervention. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to assess sexual functioning, and the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) was used to capture psychological distress.

resultsBetween baseline 1 and baseline 2, there were no significant changes in the study measures, and this indicated no natural improvement during the run-in period. In contrast, the total FSFI scores improved significantly from baseline 1 to the 2- (n = 45; P < .0005) and 6-month time points (n = 42; P < .05). The BSI-18 scores were also significantly improved at the 2- (P < .005) and 6-month time points (P < .01) in comparison with baseline 1.

conclusionsThis brief behavioral intervention led to significant improvements in overall sexual functioning and psychological distress that were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. The results demonstrate the feasibility of this brief, low-intensity behavioral intervention and support the development of a larger randomized controlled trial. Cancer 2018;124:176-82. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Indexed as

Sexual HealthAgedCognitive Behavioral TherapyFemaleHumansMiddle AgedOvarian NeoplasmsPatient Education as TopicPatient SatisfactionPsychotherapy, BriefPsychotherapy, GroupQuality of LifeSexual Dysfunction, PhysiologicalSexual Dysfunctions, PsychologicalStress, PsychologicalTelephonegynecological cancer and sexual dysfunctionovarian cancerquality of life and cancersexual health

Identifiers

PMID28881456
PMCPMC5734953
OpenAlexW2753360961

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.