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Sexual side effects of cancer treatment discussed less frequently with female patients

A new study finds that sexual side effects of cancer treatment are discussed far less frequently with female patients than with male patients, even when the treatment directly affects sex organs. Among patients receiving brachytherapy for prostate or cervical cancer at a high-volume cancer center, 9 in 10 men were asked about their sexual health, compared to 1 in 10 women. The study, which also found a smaller but similar disparity in clinical trials nationwide, will be presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. Findings point to an opportunity for physicians to gain a better understanding of their patients' experiences with cancer treatment. Each year, roughly 13,000 news cases of cervical cancer and more than 220,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. Both diseases respond well to radiation therapy and other treatments, and an estimated 96% of patients with prostate cancer and 67% with cervical cancer survive at least fi...