{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T20:21:09Z","timestamp":1789503669382,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,11]],"date-time":"2024-06-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718064000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>As cancer survival rates increase, it has become crucial to pay attention to the long-term quality of life of survivors, including sexual functioning. The quality of sexual life and fear of cancer progression are often unmet needs, significantly impacting cancer patients\u2019 overall quality of life. In this study, we investigate these factors in Romanian female cancer patients and highlight their relationship with mental health and demographic variables.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study included 242 Romanian female cancer patients who completed questionnaires assessing sexual functioning (EORTC QLQ-SHQ22), fear of cancer progression (FoP-Q), depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7). We examined these relationships using descriptive, exploratory, and regression analyses.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Around 50% of patients reported impairments in sexual satisfaction and pain during sex. Lower sexual satisfaction increased sexual dysfunction, and heightened fear of cancer progression (FCP) were associated with depression, anxiety, younger age, lower education, rural residence, and unmarried status.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study reveals a complex interplay between sexual health, fear of cancer progression, and psychological well-being among female cancer survivors in Romania. Addressing sexual concerns, providing psychoeducation, promoting coping with the fear of progression, and utilizing interdisciplinary interventions are essential to improving these patients\u2019 overall quality of life. These findings underscore the need for integrated care approaches that consider both physical and psychological dimensions of cancer survivorship.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1417681","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,12]],"date-time":"2024-06-12T16:05:05Z","timestamp":1718208305000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Fear of cancer progression and the quality of sexual life of female cancer patients in Romania"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"\u00c9va","family":"K\u00e1llay","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"M\u00fcller-Fabian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Csaba L\u00e1szl\u00f3","family":"D\u00e9gi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1007\/s12020-015-0812-6","article-title":"Sexual dysfunction in women with cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies using the female sexual function index","volume":"54","author":"Maiorino","year":"2016","journal-title":"Endocrine"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-64310-6_1","article-title":"Psychosocial impact of Cancer","volume":"210","author":"Singer","year":"2018","journal-title":"Recent Results Cancer Res"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1007\/s10549-018-4894-8","article-title":"Sexual health in long-term breast cancer survivors","volume":"172","author":"Soldera","year":"2018","journal-title":"Breast Cancer Res Treat"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191911921","article-title":"Sexual dysfunction in women with Cancer: a systematic review of longitudinal studies","volume":"19","author":"Sousa Rodrigues Guedes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bodyim.2014.12.003","article-title":"Body image investment in breast cancer patients undergoing reconstruction: taking a closer look at the appearance schemas inventory-revised","volume":"13","author":"Chua","year":"2015","journal-title":"Body Image"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1735","DOI":"10.1007\/s00192-015-2749-y","article-title":"Does pelvic floor muscle training improve female sexual function? 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