OnCo
ideasIdea

Sexual health assessed and treated as a standard toxicity domain

Cancer treatment often damages sexual function and intimacy, and almost nobody asks. Make it a routine question with a clinic to refer to.

Sexual dysfunction after pelvic surgery, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and stem cell transplant is very common and is among the least discussed toxicities. The proposal is routine screening with a brief validated item set at treatment milestones, a referral pathway to sexual health services (pelvic floor physiotherapy, vaginal and erectile therapies, counselling), and inclusion of sexual function as a PRO domain in trials of pelvic and endocrine treatments.

Hypothesis
Routine screening and referral increases treatment of sexual dysfunction severalfold and improves patient-reported quality of life and adherence to endocrine therapy.
Rationale
Under-treatment is driven by embarrassment and absent pathways, not absent treatments; adherence to endocrine therapy is known to fall with sexual side-effects.
What would test it
Implementation trial in prostate, cervical, rectal and breast cancer clinics with screening rates, referral, and quality of life at 12 months as endpoints.
Maturity
early clinical
Who has to act
clinic
Cost to try
Small (under $1M)
Years to first evidence
2
Bottlenecks it attacks

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