Sexual Dysfunction and Interventions in Gynecologic Cancer: Protocol and Preliminary Findings of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION: Our goal is to synthesize evidence on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among gynecologic cancer survivors and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving sexual health outcomes as a way to introduce better clinical guidance and evidence for providers of this patient population. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize evidence on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among gynecologic cancer survivors and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve sexual health outcomes, with the goal of informing evidence-based survivorship care. METHODS: We registered a protocol with PROSPERO (ID: CRD420251142727). Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus (2000–2025). Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and observational studies of adult women with gynecologic cancers (cervical, ovarian, endometrial, uterine, vulvar, vaginal) reporting quantitative outcomes related to sexual function, such as FSFI scores, dyspareunia, libido, orgasm, or satisfaction. Screening and data extraction are being conducted independently by two reviewers with disagreements resolved by consensus. Study quality will be assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 tool (for RCTs) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (for observational studies). RESULTS: The initial search identified 10,217 records. Preliminary review suggests sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent, with rates commonly reported between 40–80% across cancer types. Early evidence indicates that vaginal dilator programs, pelvic floor therapy, hormone therapy, and psychosexual counseling improve selected domains of sexual function, although effect sizes vary and heterogeneity across studies is high. Final pooled prevalence estimates and intervention effect sizes will be available at the time of presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual dysfunction is a significant but underrecognized sequela of gynecologic cancer treatment. This ongoing meta-analysis will provide pooled estimates of prevalence and intervention effectiveness to guide survivorship care. Findings are expected to inform clinical counseling, highlight evidence-based management strategies, and identify areas where further research is urgently needed.