5.12 Sexual Health

Updated May 2026

​​Cervical cancer treatment can cause long term impacts on sexual health including premature menopause, physical and psychological impacts on sexual function. Patients undergoing treatment for cervical cancer benefit from early referrals to gynecologists and other specialists who have expertise in sexual health. Please see Section 6: Survivorship and Management of Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Following Cervical Cancer Treatment

 

References 

1.           Plante M, Kwon JS, Ferguson S, et al. Simple versus Radical Hysterectomy in Women with Low-Risk Cervical Cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 2024;390(9):819–829. DOI: doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2308900.

2.           Schmeler KM, Pareja R, Lopez Blanco A, et al. ConCerv: a prospective trial of conservative surgery for low-risk early-stage cervical cancer. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer 2021;31(10):1317–1325. DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2021-002921.

3.           Bentivegna E, Gouy S, Maulard A, Chargari C, Leary A, Morice P. Oncological outcomes after fertility-sparing surgery for cervical cancer: a systematic review. Lancet Oncol 2016;17(6):e240–e253. (In eng). DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(16)30032-8.

4.           Cibula D, Raspollini MR, Planchamp F, et al. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP Guidelines for the management of patients with cervical cancer - Update 2023. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2023;33(5):649–666. (In eng). DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2023-004429.

5.           Morice P, Scambia G, Abu-Rustum NR, et al. Fertility-sparing treatment and follow-up in patients with cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and borderline ovarian tumours: guidelines from ESGO, ESHRE, and ESGE. The Lancet Oncology 2024;25(11):e602–e610. DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(24)00262-6.

6.           Tax C, Rovers MM, de Graaf C, Zusterzeel PL, Bekkers RL. The sentinel node procedure in early stage cervical cancer, taking the next step; a diagnostic review. Gynecol Oncol 2015;139(3):559–67. (In eng). DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2015.09.076.

7.           Glickman AG, Valdes S, Gil-Ibanez B, Paredes P, Cortes KS, Torne Blade AA. Present status of sentinel lymph node biopsy in cervical cancer. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2018;23(6):495–502. DOI: 10.1016/j.rpor.2018.04.004.

8.           Ramirez PT, Robledo KP, Frumovitz M, et al. LACC Trial: Final Analysis on Overall Survival Comparing Open Versus Minimally Invasive Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer. J Clin Oncol 2024;42(23):2741–2746. (In eng). DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.02335.

9.           Ramirez PT, Frumovitz M, Pareja R, et al. Minimally Invasive versus Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer. N Engl J Med 2018;379(20):1895–1904. (In eng). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1806395.

10.        Chacon E, Manzour N, Zanagnolo V, et al. SUCCOR cone study: conization before radical hysterectomy. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2022;32(2):117–124. (In eng). DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2021-002544.

11.        Chiva L, Zanagnolo V, Querleu D, et al. SUCCOR study: an international European cohort observational study comparing minimally invasive surgery versus open abdominal radical hysterectomy in patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2020;30(9):1269–1277. (In eng). DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2020-001506.

12.        National Comprehensive Cancer Network N. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Cervical Cancer (Version 4.2025). (https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/cervical.pdf).

13.        Sedlis A, Bundy BN, Rotman MZ, Lentz SS, Muderspach LI, Zaino RJ. A randomized trial of pelvic radiation therapy versus no further therapy in selected patients with stage IB carcinoma of the cervix after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy: A Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. Gynecol Oncol 1999;73(2):177–83. (In eng). DOI: 10.1006/gyno.1999.5387.

14.        Peters WA, 3rd, Liu PY, Barrett RJ, 2nd, et al. Concurrent chemotherapy and pelvic radiation therapy compared with pelvic radiation therapy alone as adjuvant therapy after radical surgery in high-risk early-stage cancer of the cervix. J Clin Oncol 2000;18(8):1606–13. (In eng). DOI: 10.1200/jco.2000.18.8.1606.

15.        Baek JY, Kim H-S, Cho WK, et al. Significance of HPV status on tumor response and treatment outcomes in endocervical adenocarcinoma treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: a retrospective study. J Gynecol Oncol 2025;36 (https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2025.36.e92).

16.        Tang J, Tang Y, Yang J, Huang S. Chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced cervical adenocarcinoma. Gynecologic Oncology 2012;125(2):297–302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2012.01.033.

17.        Lorusso D, Xiang Y, Hasegawa K, et al. Pembrolizumab or placebo with chemoradiotherapy followed by pembrolizumab or placebo for newly diagnosed, high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer (ENGOT-cx11/GOG-3047/KEYNOTE-A18): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trial. Lancet 2024;403(10434):1341–1350. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00317-9.

18.        McCormack M, Eminowicz G, Gallardo D, et al. Induction chemotherapy followed by standard chemoradiotherapy versus standard chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (GCIG INTERLACE): an international, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial. Lancet 2024;404(10462):1525–1535. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01438-7.

19.        Colombo N, Dubot C, Lorusso D, et al. Pembrolizumab for Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Cervical Cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 2021;385(20):1856–1867. DOI: doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2112435.

20.        Tewari KS, Sill MW, Long HJ, et al. Improved Survival with Bevacizumab in Advanced Cervical Cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 2014;370(8):734–743. DOI: doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1309748.