Vaginal stenosis and sexual function following intracavitary radiation for the treatment of cervical and endometrial carcinoma

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to document the incidence and degree of vaginal stenosis, sexual activity, and satisfaction in women treated with intracavitary radiation therapy for cervical or endometrial carcinoma.

Methods and materials: The incidence of vaginal stenosis in 90 patients treated for either cervical carcinoma (n = 42) or endometrial carcinoma (n = 48) with standard doses of intracavitary radiation from 1989 to 1992 with at least 6 months follow-up was recorded. Vaginal length was measured using a modified vaginal dilator calibrated in centimeters. Semistructured patient interviews documented pretreatment and posttreatment sexual activity and sexual satisfaction.

Results: Vaginal length was found to be dependent on diagnosis (cervical vs. endometrial), stage (I vs. II/III), and follow-up interval (6-12 months, 12-24 months, and > 24 months). Slightly more women reported sexual activity post vs. pretreatment (31% active pretreatment vs. 43% active posttreatment). However, 22% of women reported a decrease in sexual frequency and 37% reported a decrease in sexual satisfaction. Reports for all parameters were worse for women treated for cervical carcinoma vs. women treated for endometrial carcinoma with the exception of dyspareunia.

Conclusion: High-dose radiation for either cervical or endometrial carcinoma at standard doses with or without hysterectomy can cause a decrease in vaginal length as compared to the normal vaginal length of 8 to 9 cm documented by Masters and Johnson. Women treated with intracavitary implants remained as sexually active postimplant as preimplant, however, coital frequency and sexual satisfaction decreased while dyspareunia increased. The decrease in vaginal length may explain in part the decrease in sexual satisfaction but cause and effect have not been established.