Life quality of endometrioid endometrial cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecologic malignancy in developed countries with increasing incidence worldwide. A total of 201 patients were enrolled and a cross-sectional study was performed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) after the approval by an institutional review board (University of Health Sciences, Tepecik Education and Research Hospital, Turkey, March 13, 2019, Approval no. 2019/4-27). Morbidly obese patients (body mass index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m²) had lower physical functioning scores compared to non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m²; p = .008) and non-morbidly obese patients (BMI < 40 kg/m²; p = .011). The overall sexual dysfunction rate was high (94.5%). No significant sexual function differences were observed among the study groups.

IMPACT STATEMENT

• What is already known on this subject? Previous efforts to assess the influence of obesity and BMI on endometrial cancer patient quality of life have indicated that obesity adversely affects physical function and the effects of obesity on sexual function remains vague. In addition, the influence of patient age, surgical approach, adjuvant therapy type and time after diagnosis on quality of life and sexual function have not been clearly defined.

• What do the results of this study add? Increased BMI is associated with impaired physical function in endometrial cancer patients. However, BMI does not appear to affect sexual function in this population.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? After endometrial cancer treatment, lifestyle interventions aimed at weight loss should be implemented to improve the quality of life.

Keywords:

• Body mass index
• endometrial cancer
• obesity
• quality of life
• sexual function

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).