The Relationship Between 
Body Mass Index and Sexual Function in Endometrial Cancer
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OBJECTIVES

To explore the association between pretreatment body mass index (BMI) and post-treatment sexual function in women treated for endometrial cancer. 
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SAMPLE &

SETTING

28 postmenopausal women treated with vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) took part in this multisite exploratory secondary analysis at the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University. 
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METHODS & VARIABLES: Secondary data analysis was used to determine if pretreatment BMI is associated with post-VBT sexual function in postmenopausal women treated for endometrial cancer at baseline and at six months post-treatment. Because of small sample size, participants were dichotomized according to enrollment BMI.

RESULTS

Both groups had poor sexual function at baseline. Although improved function was observed with time, neither group reached a score indicating healthy sexual function.
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IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Understanding factors that influence sexual health in patients with gynecologic cancer can improve post-treatment quality of life. 
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