Sexual health of endometrial cancer survivors before and after a physical activity intervention: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Objective: Sexual dysfunction is common in endometrial cancer survivors (ECS). Our group previously tested a six-month exercise intervention in ECS. We performed a secondary analysis to determine intervention's impact on sexual health.

Methods: We studied 100 post-treatment Stage I-IIIa sedentary ECS who participated in a non-controlled, single-arm, home-based exercise intervention utilizing telephone counseling, printed material, and pedometers. Quality-of-life and physical activity measures were collected at baseline and six months. Sexual function (SF) and sexual interest (SI) scores were extracted from the QLACS questionnaire.

Results: Baseline SF and SI were lower in survivors with less than a four-year college degree (P<0.001). Baseline SI was higher in survivors who were married or living with a significant other (P=0.012). No significant differences in SF or SI were observed based on obesity status, race, time since diagnosis, or treatment type. Post-intervention, mean SF score improved (P=0.002), 51% of participants had improved SI, and 43% had improved SF. When controlled for age and time since diagnosis, a one-hour increase in weekly physical activity was associated with a 6.5% increased likelihood of improved SI (P=0.04). Increased physical activity was not associated with improved SF.

Conclusions: Although causation cannot be determined in this study, the correlation between receipt of an exercise intervention and improved sexual health for ECS is a novel finding. This finding suggests a role for physical activity as a strategy to improve the sexual health of ECS, which our group is examining in a larger prospective study.