Sexuality and intimacy after head and neck cancer treatment: An explorative prospective pilot study

Background.While sexuality and intimacy are suggested to contribute to quality of life (QoL), it is striking that the sexual problems of head and neck cancer patients have not been adequately studied. Objectives. Our aim was to prospectively assess the impact of head and neck cancer and its treatment on sexuality and intimacy. Material and methods. A questionnaire study with a 6-month follow-up period was conducted at the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, using the Maudsley marital questionnaire (MMQ), the sexual adjust-ment questionnaire (SAQ) and the short sexual functioning scale (SSFS) to prospectively assess the impact of head and neck cancer and its treatment on sexuality and intimacy. Results.Twelve patients (67%) reported a negative impact on their sexuality and/or intimacy. There were significant declines in marital, sexual and general life satisfaction (p < 0.000) at the 6-month follow-up as compared to baseline. There was a significant increase in frustration after sexual activity (p = 0.031). Sexual desire was also impacted, with a near doubling of patients reporting a decline. The perceived importance of discussing sexual issues with one's physician significantly increased from 7 to 16 patients (p = 0.004). Conclusions. Sexual problems are common after head and neck cancer treatment. Using a screening instrument can help to identify patients that need intervention. Discussing sexuality and intimacy issues that patients may face before, during and after treatment can have a positive impact on QoL.