Gynecological malignancies are a leading cause of morbidity in women in the United States and the European Union [1, 2]. According to the most current cancer statistics, the standardized incidence rate for combined malignant ovarian and endo-metrial tumors was~34/100 000 in Europe and 24/100 000 worldwide, with the US figures on a par with the worldwide data [3, 4]. With the introduction of effective radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, the survival of patients with gynecological cancer has improved substantially [5-7]. Exact figures

5051 Background: Gynecological cancer (GC) is generally assumed to have an impact on sexual function and activity. Although there are several studies addressing the issue, case control studies are currently limited. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional investigation of sexual function and activity utilizing the sexual activity questionnaire, the female sexual function index, and parts of the EORTC QLQ C30. Patients with gynecological cancer (GC) like ovarian and endometrial cancer were compared with a control group (C) of non-cancer patients. Inclusion of GC was only allowed if treatment was completed ≥12 months previously and patients were disease-free. Results: The questionnaires were sent out to 727 women (335 x GC and 392 x C), 22.8% of which responded. Response rates in both groups were equivalent (79 pts with GC [23.6%] and 87 control subjects [22.2%]). Median age was 57 years (C) and 62 years (GC), respectively (p=0.237). 51.5% (C) and 59.5% (GC) were not sexually active, mainly owing to lack of a partner (37%) or lack of interest (21%) in controls and lack of interest (40%, p<0.05), self-reported physical problems (31.9%, p<0.05), and physical problems of the partner (21%, p<0.05). There were significant differences between both groups in the SAQ discomfort score (p<0.05). We did not observe significant differences in quality of life or other scores regarding sexuality. Conclusions: About half of the women in both groups were not sexually active. However, reasons for non-activity differ. Quality of sexuality tends to be impaired in GC patients, but this seems not to influence quality of life. A shift of priority caused by substantial anxiety regarding cancer specific survival might explain our findings.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is generally assumed to have an impact on sexual function and activity. Although there are several studies addressing the issue, case control studies are currently limited. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional investigation of sexual function and activity utilizing the sexual activity questionnaire, the female sexual function index, and parts of the EORTC QLQ C30. Patients with breast cancer (BC) were compared with a control group (C) of non-cancer patients. Inclusion of BC was only allowed if treatment was completed ≥ 12 months previously and patients were disease-free. This study was approved by the ethical committee of the Landesärztekammer Hessen. All consecutive patients with breast cancer who were treated at our hospital were prospectively documented in a clinical tumor registry since 2001. All patients’ records are updated annually. The control sample without any oncologic disease of 392 age-matched females was recruited in the Department of Prosthodontics, University Hospital Mainz. Results: Between December 2009 and May 2010 the questionnaires were sent out to 790 women (398 x BC and 392 x C), 21.6% of which responded. Response rates in both groups were equivalent (84 patients with BC [21.2%] and 87 control subjects [22.2%]). Median age was 57 years (C) and 62 years (BC), respectively (p = 0.005). 51.5% (C) and 60% (BC) were not sexually active, mainly owing to lack of a partner (39%) or lack of interest (21%) in controls and lack of interest (48%, p&lt;0.05), self-reported physical problems (34%, p&lt;0.05), and physical problems of the partner (22%, p&lt;0.05) in breast cancer patients. There were significant differences between both groups in the SAQ discomfort score (p&lt;0.05). We did not observe significant differences in quality of life or other scores regarding sexuality. Conclusions: About half of the women in both groups were not sexually active. However, reasons for non-activity differ. Quality of sexuality tends to be impaired in BC patients, but this seems not to influence quality of life. A shift of priority caused by substantial anxiety regarding cancer specific survival might explain our findings. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-08-06.