Restoring sexual function in women with early-stage cervical cancer

Objective. To evaluate the effect of different rehabilitation programmes on the sexual health of women in the recovery period after surgical treatment of early stages of cervical cancer (CC).

Materials and methods. The study included 103 patients with СС, divided into the group receiving a personalised programme of comprehensive «active» rehabilitation (CC-1; n = 51) and rehabilitation according to the principles regulated in the local clinical guidelines (CC-2; n = 52). The control group included 80 women without gynaecological oncological diseases. Sexual health was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before and 36 months after surgery. Scores were expressed as Me (Q₂₅; Q₇₅), and differences were considered reliable at p < 0.05.

Results. Surgical intervention led to a decrease in all FSFI domains with a minimum score in the 1^st month after surgery (total score 7.1 [6.0; 8.3] in the CC-1 group and 6.6 [5.8; 7.3] in the CC-2 group), after which faster and more pronounced recovery dynamics were observed in the CC-1 group from the 3^rd (satisfaction), 6^th (desire, arousal, lubrication) or 12^th (orgasm) month of the study. Differences between the CC-1 and CC-2 groups in the FSFI total score also became significant from the 6^th month of follow-up. This index reached normal values by the end of follow-up, totalling 27.1 (26.7; 28.0) points at the last visit. No adverse events were registered.

Conclusions. This study provides strong evidence for the efficacy of a personalised comprehensive rehabilitation programme to improve sexual function after early-stage CC surgery. However, further research is needed to determine the optimal duration and intensity of such programmes.