Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30980294›Full record

ArticleJournal of gastrointestinal cancer2020

Sexual Function, Quality of Life, and Mood After Radiation Therapy in Patients with Anal Cancer.

Divya Yerramilli, Lorraine Drapek, Ryan D Nipp, Nora Horick, Samantha M C Moran, Bridget Noé, Sara M D'Arpino, Devarati Mitra, Theodore S Hong, David P Ryan and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of gastrointestinal cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

12 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. The impact of anal cancer treatment on female sexuality and intimacy: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  4. Improving our understanding of the quality of life of patients with metastatic or recurrent/persistent anal cancer: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  5. Prevalence of erectile dysfunction in male survivors of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2021
    Pooled it
  6. Patients' perspective in anal cancer.ESMO gastrointestinal oncology · 2026
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Pelvic Radiation Disease.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2022
    Review
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

12 authors.

Divya YerramilliDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. DYERRAMILLI@BWH.HARVARD.EDU.
Lorraine DrapekDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Ryan D NippDivision of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Nora HorickMassachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Samantha M C MoranDivision of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Bridget NoéDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Sara M D'ArpinoDivision of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Devarati MitraDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Theodore S HongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
David P RyanDivision of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Don S DizonDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lifespan Cancer Institute, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
Jennifer WoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lunder LL2, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.

Funding

Rare Cancer Genetics RegistryR01CA160233 · NCI · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI FINKELSTEIN, DIANNE M · 2012 to 2016
$2.4M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA160233
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Definitive chemoradiation (CRT) results in high cure rates of anal cancer, with advanced radiation (RT) techniques improving toxicity. However, there is limited data regarding these patients' sexual function (SF), quality of life (QOL), and mood. We hypothesized that anal cancer treatment would result in detrimental effects on SF, QOL, and mood. MATERIALS/

methodsWe prospectively surveyed patients with anal cancer treated with definitive CRT. We assessed SF for women with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and for men with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). For all patients, we assessed QOL using EORTC QLQ-C30 and CR29 and mood using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We reported descriptive statistics for SF, QOL, and mood and used univariate analysis to evaluate predictors of SF for women.

resultsOf 50 eligible patients, 84% completed the surveys. Median time from RT until survey was 36 months (1-97 months). Women (n = 34) reported poor SF overall (mean FSFI score = 15, scale 2-36, standard deviation (SD) 10.4). Most women reported poor SF related to satisfaction, desire, orgasm, arousal, pain, and lubrication. Men (n = 8) also had poor overall satisfaction (mean IIEF score = 6.1, scale 2-10, SD 3.6). Men reported poor erectile function and lower satisfaction with intercourse. Mean QLQ-C30 QOL score was 86.5 (SD 16.3). Results from EORTC QLQ-CR-20 demonstrated patients experienced poor sexual interest. Per HADS, 2.5% reported depression and 18% anxiety.

conclusionPatients with anal cancer experience sexual dysfunction after RT, with QOL and mood symptoms similar to patients with other cancers. Our data support the need for ongoing efforts to understand and address issues with SF, QOL, and mood following RT for these patients.

Indexed as

Quality of LifeAdultAffectAgedAged, 80 and overAnus NeoplasmsChemoradiotherapyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRadiation InjuriesSexual BehaviorSexual Dysfunction, PhysiologicalSurveys and QuestionnairesAnal cancerAnxietyDepressionMoodQuality of lifeSexual function

Identifiers

PMID30980294

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.