BMC Cancer. 2026 Feb 21. doi: 10.1186/s12885-025-15180-y. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Advancements in cancer treatment have led to increasing life expectancy. Few studies have been conducted on sexual anxiety in women affected by gynecologic cancers who suffer from physical (pain, drugs, & surgery) and psychological (shame, fear, & anxiety) consequences. This study aimed to compare Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) versus Guided Imagery Therapy (GIT) on sexual anxiety in these women.
METHODS: A randomized parallel clinical trial was conducted on 64 eligible women who were randomly assigned into either ERT (intervention 1 = 32) or GIT groups (intervention 2 = active control group = 32). Each group received eight 60-min online counseling sessions. The main outcome variable of sexual anxiety was investigated via the Davis questionnaire at baseline, in week 8, and the follow-up in week 12. The secondary outcome variable, i.e., husband's satisfaction with sexual relationship, was measured in weeks 8 and 12.
RESULTS: Intra-group comparison of sexual performance anxiety showed significant decrease in week 12 compared to baseline (ERT: 35.97 ± 5.84, & 61.16 ± 13.84; P = 0.001) (GIT: 35.55 ± 4.79, & 59.84 ± 11.54; P = 0.001), respectively. Inter-group comparison of sexual performance anxiety showed that the scores decreased in both groups in week 12 (ERT: 35.97 ± 5.84 versus GIT: 35.55 ± 4.79) without significant difference (P = 0.297). Intra-group comparison of husband's satisfaction indicated that it was high in both groups without significant difference (ERT week 8: 8.77 ± 1.61, week 12: 9.00 ± 1.41; P = 0.412), (GIT week 8: 8.74 ± 1.00, week 12: 9.16 ± 0.78; P = 0.130), respectively. Inter-group comparison between week 8 (P = 0.297) and week 12 (P = 0.910) showed no significant difference.
CONCLUSIONS: Online ERT and GIT were both able to improve sexual anxiety with appropriate partner's satisfaction in these women. Such interventional supports provide more options for better quality of life, especially for women who are unwilling to take psychiatric medications or in other anxiety-provoking situations to reduce anxiety. The application of the findings in the clinical context is related to its usefulness in the integration of care guidelines and treatment plans for these women, as well as by sex therapists, health providers, and health policy-makers.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: To conduct the research, the code of ethics: IR.SSU.REC.1401.014 was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Shahid Sadoughi University dated 05/18/2022; the study protocol was obtained from IRCT dated 06/11/2022 with the registration ID: IRCT20220526054996N1.
PMID:41721318 | DOI:10.1186/s12885-025-15180-y