Prevalence of Urogynaecological Symptoms in Survivor Cervical Cancer in a Tertiary Care Gynaecologic Oncology Clinic of a Developing Country.
Treatment of gynaecological cancer has its own unique sets of associated short- and long-term complications and morbidities. There is a lot of data available on the prevalence of bowel symptoms in patients treated and followed up for cancer of the cervix. Radiation changes tissue pliability and vascularity, the latter by obilerating the small blood vessels as well as mucositis. This leads to
vaginal atrophy, enteritis and cystitis. This presents as accompanied by suprapubic tenderness, dysuria, urinary frequency and urgency Incontinence. As doses to the bladder approach more than 6000 cGy, acute hemorrhagic cystitis, chronic cystitis, fibrosis with decreased bladder capacity, and fistula formation may ensue.
Women with cervical cancer frequently develop symptoms like hematuria and/or overactive bladder resulting from various causes including cystitis due to both direct and indirect effects of cancer and its treatments.
Radical hysterectomy also shortens vagina and affects coital function.5 The incidence of bladder sensory symptoms is one of the most common and debilitating long-term complications of radical pelvic surgery and/or radiation for the treatment of cervical cancer.4-6 Surgery involves inherent surgical complications, both general and specific, the latter including conditions like reduced/absent bladder sensation and ureteric damage with radical hysterectomy.
The number of women who report urinary symptoms may be the ‘tip of the iceberg’, and while the absolute prevalence of symptoms may be of academic interest, its impact on quality life will determine the need for health care services, specifically for the urogynaecologic subspecialty in the multidisciplinary set up of a tertiary care gynaecological cancer clinic.
Women Health Open J. 2015; 1(1): 8-12. doi: 10.17140/WHOJ-1-102
