Researchers have learned how childhood cancer therapy affects sexual aspects of life later in life.
Malignant tumors, as well as the fight against them, have a strong effect on the human body as a whole. Regardless of how much time and effort was spent fighting the disease. Now scientists at Ohio State University have concluded that childhood cancer treatment has long-term consequences when it comes to sex. The results of the study were published in the CANCER journal, and a brief overview was provided by the EurekAlert! Portal.
The new experiment involved 144 adults who were battling childhood cancers. All of them had to answer questions that would allow scientists to form an overall impression of psychosexual development, sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with the current status of the relationship. The drugs used by patients in childhood and their toxicity were also reviewed.
People treated for childhood cancer had fewer sex partners than controls. However, the rest of the scientists did not reveal significant differences. People who suffered from brain tumors and those who received the most toxic of medications stood apart. Experts diagnosed them with difficulties with psychosexual development, in particular in the case of the first sexual intercourse. Issues related to trusting relationships between partners and the birth of children also caused difficulties for these categories of volunteers.
Based on the results obtained, scientists have proposed a new system for assessing the neurotoxicity of drugs when it comes to treating cancer in children. This system will take into account psychosexual aspects.
We will remind, recently another group of researchers stated that they found genes in sharks and rays that are responsible for high resistance to cancer. It is assumed that this is due to mutations that cartilaginous fish have accumulated over their evolution.
Ilya Vedmedenko