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Medical Treatments for Sexual Problems in Women

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Cancer and Sexual Health

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

Abstract

Cancer today is more of a chronic than a fatal disease: the improving survival rates increase the likelihood of long survival after the diagnosis. Unfortunately, cancer treatment is the most frequent cause of premature iatrogenic menopause and psychosexual dysfunction. Therefore, an increasing number of cancer survivors have to cope with both the consequences of cancer treatment per se, the complex physical and psychological changes secondary to a premature iatrogenic menopause, and the burden of sexual dysfunctions, more difficult to accept in the youngest patients. Female sexual identity may be variably affected by a cancer diagnosis and treatment depending on the age at diagnosis (and the age at the time of any recurrences). Age is the first biological factor that may modify the outcome of cancer diagnosis and treatment, when sexuality is considered as an independent variable in the quality of life (QOL) evaluation. The impact of cancer is increasingly worse in younger patients, especially if radical surgery, adjuvant systemic chemotherapy, and/or local radiotherapy further reduce the biological chances of a fulfilling sexual and procreative life.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Gynecology and Medical Sexology, H.San Raffaele Resnati, Via Santa Croce 10/A, 20123, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Graziottin

Authors
  1. Alessandra Graziottin
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  2. Audrey Serafini
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Editor information

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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Graziottin, A., Serafini, A. (2011). Medical Treatments for Sexual Problems 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_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-916-1_40

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-915-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-916-1

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