The importance of and satisfaction with sex life among breast cancer survivors in comparison with healthy female controls and women with mental depression or arterial hypertension: results from the Finnish nationwide HeSSup cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) and its treatment is associated with several physical and psychosocial changes that may influence sexuality for years after treatment. Women with BC show significantly greater rates of sexual dysfunction than do healthy women. The purpose of the study was to evaluate how a BC diagnosis associates with women's perceived sexuality and sexual satisfaction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of the ongoing prospective Health and Social Support (HeSSup) survey was linked with national health registries. Respondents with registry data confirmed BC (n = 66), mental depression (n = 612), arterial hypertension (n = 873), and healthy women (n = 9731) formed the study population. The importance of and satisfaction with sex life were measured by a self-report questionnaire modified from the Schover's and colleagues' Sexual History Form. RESULTS: Women with BC considered sex life less important than did healthy women (p < 0.001). They were significantly less satisfied with their sex life than healthy women (p = 0.01) and women with arterial hypertension (p = 0.04). Living single or educational level did not explain the differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: BC survivors depreciate their sex life and experience dissatisfaction with it. Sexuality can be a critical issue for the quality of life of women surviving from BC, and hence, the area deserves major attention in BC survivorship care. Health care professionals should regularly include sexual functions in the assessment of BC survivors' wellbeing.

Effects of rehabilitation among patients with advances cancer: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: In parallel with the rising incidence of cancer and improved treatment, there is a continuous increase in the number of patients living with cancer as a chronic condition. Many cancer patients experience long-term disability and require continuous oncological treatment, care and support. The aim of this review is to evaluate the most recent data on the effects of rehabilitation among patients with advanced cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to Fink's model. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in 2009-2014 were included. Medline/PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched; five groups of keywords were used. The articles were evaluated for outcome and methodological quality. RESULTS: Thirteen RCTs (1169 participants) were evaluated. Most studies were on the effects of physical exercise in patients with advanced cancer (N = 7). Physical exercise was associated with a significant improvement in general wellbeing and quality of life. Rehabilitation had positive effects on fatigue, general condition, mood, and coping with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation is needed also among patients with advanced disease and in palliative care. Exercise improves physical performance and has positive effects on several other quality of life domains. More data and RCTs are needed, but current evidence gives an indication that rehabilitation is suitable and can be recommended for patients living with advanced cancer.

Social support and breast cancer: A comparatory study of breast cancer survivors, women with mental depression, women with hypertension and healthy female controls.

OBJECTIVES: Among breast cancer (BC) survivors, inadequate social support (SS) is associated with a significant increase in cancer-related mortality and reduction in quality of life (QoL). The aim of the study was to explore perceived SS during BC trajectory by comparing BC survivors, women with depression, women with arterial hypertension, and healthy female controls to each other, and to compare perceived balance of receiving and providing SS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of ongoing prospective postal survey was linked with national health registries. Respondents with BC (n = 64), depression (n = 471), arterial hypertension (n = 841) and healthy controls (n = 6274) formed the study population. SS was measured by a Sarason's 6-item shortened version of the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ). The modified Antonucci's (1986) social support convoy model of the network of individuals was used to measure the dominating direction of SS. RESULTS: The main provider of SS for all participants combined was the spouse or partner (94.3%), close relative (12.0%) and friends (5.4%). In all groups, particularly in the BC and arterial hypertension group, spouse or partner was seen as the most important supporter. The group suffering from depression reported significantly less SS in each domain of appraisal (p < 0.001). In total, 24.6% of all respondents reported receipt dominance of SS. CONCLUSION: SS is a well-known determinant of wellbeing. Our study lends support to the spouse's or the partner's central role during the recovery phase of BC. Identification of factors improving the overall QoL of BC survivors is an important public health challenge.