Article

Sexual Problems After Total or Partial Laryngectomy†

  1. Susanne Singer PhD1,*,
  2. Helge Danker Dipl-Psych1,
  3. Andreas Dietz MD2,
  4. Ulrike Kienast MD3,
  5. Friedemann Pabst MD4,
  6. Eberhard F. Meister MD5,
  7. Jens Oeken MD6,
  8. Alexander Thiele MD7,
  9. Reinhold Schwarz MD1

Article first published online: 2 JAN 2009

DOI: 10.1097/MLG.0b013e318182cdc6

Issue

The Laryngoscope

The Laryngoscope

Volume 118, Issue 12, pages 2218–2224, December 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Singer, S., Danker, H., Dietz, A., Kienast, U., Pabst, F., Meister, E. F., Oeken, J., Thiele, A. and Schwarz, R. (2008), Sexual Problems After Total or Partial Laryngectomy. The Laryngoscope, 118: 2218–2224. doi: 10.1097/MLG.0b013e318182cdc6

Author Information

  1. 1

    From the Departments of Social Medicine, Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Dresden, Germany

  2. 2

    Otorhinolaryngology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  3. 3

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Martha-Maria, Halle-Dölau, Germany

  4. 4

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Dresden, Germany

  5. 5

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology Hospital St. Georg gGmbH, Leipzig, Germany

  6. 6

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology Hospital Chemnitz gGmbH, Chemnitz, Germany

  7. 7

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology Martin-Luther-University, Halle, Germany

*Susanne Singer, PhD, Department of Social Medicine, University of Leipzig, Riemannstr. 32, 04107 Leipzig, Germany

  1. †

    Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (#7DZAIQTX) and the State of Saxony (#formel.1–57).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 JAN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 2 JAN 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 10 JUN 2008

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Keywords:

  • Cancer;
  • head and neck neoplasms;
  • laryngeal neoplasms;
  • sexuality;
  • quality of life;
  • tracheotomy;
  • laryngectomy

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate sexual problems that can occur after laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer surgery and to specify possible influencing factors.

Study Design: Multi-institutional cross-sectional study.

Methods: Two hundred six patients were interviewed in person using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Head and Neck Module (EORTC QLQ-H&N35), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a structured interview assessing alcohol and tobacco consumption, sociodemographic data, and specific sexual problems. Type of surgery, tumor site, and tumor stage were documented according to the participants' medical records. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to assess the independent impact of each factor.

Results: More than half of the patients in our study reported having reduced libido and sexual enjoyment after treatment. Sixty percent considered it an important issue for their contentment with life. Sexual difficulties were found to be unrelated with gender, formal education, alcohol and tobacco consumption, type of surgery (partial vs. total laryngectomy), radiotherapy, and tumor site. Psychological distress (F = 46.27, P < .001) was seen to have a strong independent impact on the occurrence of sexual difficulties and stage of disease (F = 4.50, P < .05) and age (F = 4.79, P < .05), a moderate independent impact.

Conclusions: Reduced libido and sexual enjoyment is a common problem after laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer surgery. However, it is not caused by the oncological treatment but rather by the cancer itself. Depression is often associated with sexual problems. Both should be discussed in medical consultations with head and neck cancer patients when appropriate to provide adequate treatment.

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