Experience of Sexuality in Women with Gynecological Cancer: Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies
Carolina de Souza, André Villela de Souza Lima-Santos, Elaine Campos Guijarro Rodrigues, Manoel Antônio dos Santos
Abstract
Gynecological cancers have an impact on women's psychosexual health in which results vary from adjuvant cancer therapy, such as loss of pleasure, to anxious symptoms. This study aimed to present a meta-synthesis of qualitative primary studies on the sexual experience of women with gynecological cancer. The SPIDER tool and the PRISMA guidelines were used to recover evidence from the databases Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed/MedLine, CINAHL, PsycINFO and LILACS. Twenty articles were included. The thematic synthesis showed that alterations in sexual functions can be mitigated by direct involvement and dialogue with a sexual partner and the resignification of sexual intimacy.