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Pelvic Radiation in Women

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Cancer and Sexual Health

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Urology ((CCU))

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Abstract

Pelvic radiation represents a major therapeutic strategy, either as adjuvant or primary treatment in the management of cancer in women. This mainly concerns women with gynaecological malignancies: endometrial, cervical, vaginal, and vulva cancer; intestinal malignancies: rectal and anal cancer, and bladder cancer. Further, long-term breast cancer survivors may experience similar adverse effects after ovarian ablation accomplished by pelvic radiation. Finally, women treated with radiation for childhood cancer, e.g. Hodgkin lymphoma are at risk for ovarian failure and premature menopause; adverse effects that not only influence their fertile lifespan but also may have a negative effect on their sexual life [1]. The fact that the number of long-term cancer survivors has increased during the past 2–3 decades makes demands to health care providers to professionally handle late effects after pelvic radiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Subspecialist Consultant Gynaecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 75, Herlev Ringve, 2730, Herlev, Denmark

    Pernille T. Jensen

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  1. Pernille T. Jensen
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Correspondence to Pernille T. Jensen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sexual Medicine Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, East 68th Street 353, New York, 10021, New York, USA

    John P. Mulhall

  2. Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Dept. Radiation Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center, Groene Hilledijk 301, Rotterdam, 3075 EA, Netherlands

    Luca Incrocci

  3. Alvarado Hospital, Alvarado Road 6719, San Diego, 92120, California, USA

    Irwin Goldstein

  4. New England Research Institutes, Galen Street 9, Watertown, 02472, Massachusetts, USA

    Ray Rosen

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Jensen, P.T. (2011). Pelvic Radiation in Women. In: Mulhall, J., Incrocci, L., Goldstein, I., Rosen, R. (eds) Cancer and Sexual Health. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-916-1_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-916-1_32

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