Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40366224›Full record

ArticleActa obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica2025

Long-term quality of life, vulvar symptoms, and sexual functioning: A cross-sectional study of Norwegian vulvar cancer survivors.

Christin Julia Meltzer-Gunnes, Milada C Hagen, Yun Wang, Pernille T Jensen, Ingvild Vistad

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Christin Julia Meltzer-GunnesDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sorlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0578-4433
Milada C HagenDepartment of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
Yun WangDepartment of Gynecologic Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9941-2130
Pernille T JensenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Ingvild VistadDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sorlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5262-6326

Funding

Sorlandet Hospital Kristiansand
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVulvar cancer survivors are at risk of experiencing impaired health-related quality of life and sexual functioning after treatment. However, studies on survivorship challenges, particularly several years after treatment, are scarce. Our aim was to assess health-related quality of life in Norwegian vulvar cancer survivors more than 5 years after treatment and to compare reported vulvar symptoms and sexual functioning with women from a normative sample of the general Norwegian female population. MATERIAL AND

methodsPatients treated primarily for early-stage vulvar squamous cell carcinoma at the Norwegian Radium Hospital between 2006 and 2016 were invited to participate. Health-related quality of life, vulvar symptoms, and sexual functioning were assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-VU34. To recruit a normative sample, the EORTC QLQ-VU34 was also distributed to a sample of Norwegian women with no prior history of cancer. EORTC QLQ-C30 scores among vulvar cancer survivors were compared to "thresholds for clinical importance." EORTC QLQ-VU34 scores among cancer survivors were compared to those of the normative sample.

resultsA total of 44 (57%) of 77 vulvar cancer survivors completed the questionnaires, and 334 women from the general population were included for the normative sample. A considerable proportion of cancer survivors reported clinically relevant problems: 43% reported impaired physical functioning, while 30% experienced impaired emotional, cognitive, and social functioning. Genital and groin symptoms were significantly more common among cancer survivors than among women in the normative sample. Fewer vulvar cancer survivors were sexually active (9/44 (20%) versus 232/334 (69%)) and they reported a higher degree of sexual dysfunction compared to the normative sample.

conclusionsVulvar cancer survivors reported impaired health-related quality of life even several years after treatment. Vulvar complaints and impaired sexual functioning were more common among vulvar cancer survivors than among women from the normative sample.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsCarcinoma, Squamous CellQuality of LifeSexual BehaviorSexual Dysfunction, PhysiologicalVulvar NeoplasmsAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNorwaySurveys and QuestionnairesEORTCpatient‐reported outcome measuresquality of lifesurvivorshipvulvar cancer

Identifiers

PMID40366224
PMCPMC12283172

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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.