Impact of a nurse-led mind-body intervention on sexual health in breast cancer

NIH RePORTER · NIH · P20 · $284,737 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

The incidence of breast cancer among young women between the ages 18 – 50 is increasing 0.5% each year. Simultaneously, due to advances in treatment, five-year survival rates are up to 86%. As these young women complete treatment and successfully transition into survivorship, they face significant changes to their physical, emotional, and sexual selves. Challenges such as decreased sexual functioning, menopausal symptoms, and body image changes due to treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, surgical intervention) are major concerns for young women in survivorship, but previous research has indicated that young women often receive little to no sexual health communication from their oncology providers. The resulting lack and/or absence of sexual health communication can lead to lower sexual health satisfaction and quality of life in survivorship. Many clinical efforts exist to provide breast cancer survivors’ sexual health education, yet few programs have been rigorously evaluated for efficacy and effectiveness. One program, EMBRACE (Empowerment through Mind and Body Reclamation After Cancer Experience) is a long-standing, nurse-led clinical sexual health psychoeducational intervention that was developed and implemented in two large cancer centers for more than eight years. The goal of this proposed study is to determine feasibility and establish efficacy of the online EMBRACE intervention to improve sexual health for young breast cancer survivors through two aims. We will recruit 42 young women breast cancer survivors who completed active breast cancer treatment and are currently on estrogen-suppression medications. In this pilot trial, participants will be randomized into two groups: the EMBRACE Group with an immediate start and the Delayed EMBRACE group which will begin 8 weeks after enrollment per wait list protocols. For Aim 1, we will evaluate the feasibility of delivering EMBRACE in an online, private setting. For Aim 2, we will explore the preliminary efficacy of EMBRACE with vaginal rehydration and dilation on improving sexual health (menopausal symptoms, sexual functioning, and body image). The results from this study will provide an innovative approach to improve and possibly alleviate sexual side effects caused by breast cancer therapies for women in survivorship.

Key facts

NIH application ID
11158473
Project number
5P20GM109005-10
Recipient
UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS
Principal Investigator
Pearman Parker
Activity code
P20
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$284,737
Award type
5
Project period
2024-06-01 → 2026-05-31