Letter from the Chair

Dear Scientific Network Community,

I am writing this to you after the unofficial start to Summer, but to me, the air still carries the feel of Spring. With that feeling comes the strong sense that there are some amazing efforts and collaborations blossoming within the Network.

Our fantastic April conference, held at The Ohio State University, was the largest Network conference thus far. Our keynote speakers, Deborah Marshall, Noël Arring, and Sharon Parish, each brought their unique expertise to bear on their presentations about functional anatomy in sexual function outcomes in female survivors (Dr. Marshall), outcomes of multi-component intervention trials (Dr. Arring), and assessment and management of low sexual desire disorder (Dr. Parish). The attendees of our 2022 conference at Yale commented that they wanted more information on treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and on sexual function in LGBTQ+ survivors, among other issues. To be responsive to these comments, the Scientific Program Committee assembled panels that brought together diverse voices on these important topics. I was also inspired by the caliber of the research that was showcased in the oral and poster presentations; it is clear there are exciting directions in the research in our field including new and innovative methodologies in clinical trials, new approaches to screening for sexual function challenges in cancer populations, and efforts to understand sexual problems in understudied populations that will lead to effective interventions.

At the conclusion of the conference, I asked the attendees to raise their hand if they currently have a grant focused on sexual health or function for female cancer survivors. I was excited to see a large number of attendees raise their hands. What do I take from this? First, it shows that the Network is filled with incredibly talented people doing the hard work of seeking funding for research that will lead to interventions and improvements in care for women and girls facing sexual concerns after a cancer diagnosis. But I already knew the Network was filled with such talented, committed members! What it also shows is that funding agencies are, at long last, recognizing what we as a group have been saying for years: female cancer survivors’ sexual function matters and it is worth investing in!

Of course, none of this exciting growth would be possible without the hard work of many within the Network. I owe a massive thank you to Scientific Program Co-Chairs Kristen Carpenter and Allison Quick and the rest of the Scientific Program Committee, who put a tremendous amount of time and effort into making sure the conference was a success, and to the Network leadership and Board – including a slate of new Board members (welcome!) – who help make sure our Network is going in the right directions to have the biggest impact. I am grateful to everyone who submitted abstracts to present their work at our conference and to all the attendees, as well as to our institutional and industry supporters, without whom we would not have been able to put on such a great conference!

Spring is also a time of renewal. In that spirit, I hope that many of you will take this opportunity to renew your commitment to efforts toward evidence-based education and care promoting sexual well-being and sexual health outcomes for women and girls affected by cancer. I hope you’ll consider becoming engaged or continuing to be engaged with our efforts, whether by joining a committee, reaching out to members for collaborations, planning to submit your work to our conference, or in some other way that will benefit us as a society. Looking to the near future, our Education team is hard at work generating ideas for informative webinars and other content and we are already at work planning our next conference in November of 2025 at the University of Minnesota.

Our incredible Newsletter Committee, chaired by Marloe Esch, has put together a fantastic newsletter this season, and I hope you will enjoy reading about the goings on at the Network. We love promoting the amazing work of Network members, so if you have any new papers you want to highlight or other efforts you want to draw our attention to, please reach out to info@cancersexnetwork.org!

On behalf of all of us at the Network, I wish you a safe, happy, and productive summer, and I thank you for being a member of our Network community!

Warmest regards,

Jennifer (Jenny) Barsky Reese, PhD

2024 Conference Highlights

Conference Overview

The 9th Conference of the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health & Cancer took place April 18-19 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. With 93 attendees representing two countries, 19 states, and 46 different US institutions, the conference was a resounding success in bringing together a diverse and varied group of passionate professionals and patient advocates with the common goal of improving the sexual health of women and girls in oncology care.

The slate of conference content was expansive. Thursday’s first keynote speaker, Dr. Deborah Marshall, received a standing ovation for her presentation addressing sexual function outcomes in female and gender-expansive cancer survivors through the lens of functional anatomy. The day continued with two paper sessions highlighting novel clinical interventions and sexuality in the context of AYA survivorship. Expert panel discussions explored the advances in sexual healthcare for gender and sexual minorities and the implications and role of shared decision-making when incorporating research findings into the care of individuals with genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

As always, the opportunity to network with and learn from the work and research of the speakers, poster presenters, and fellow attendees was a highlight of the conference.

Advances in Sexual Healthcare for Gender and Sexual Minorities panel members: Deborah Marshall, MD; Elizabeth Arthur, PhD, APRN-CNP, AOCNP; and Christina Wilson, PhD, CRNP, WHNP-PC, with moderator Caroline Dorfman, PhD and guest speaker Katie Klakos, MSW, LISW-S.

What is the Future of Oncosexual Healthcare?

One of the more creative and energizing sessions of the conference was a “World Café” exercise that required collaborating with others to envision the ideal future of oncosexual healthcare. Movement and magic markers were required as attendees traded tables to brainstorm answers to questions about what the ideal state of oncosexual healthcare looks like and how to generate pathways for accomplishing this vision, including the role the Scientific Network can play in achieving success. Some themes included:

• Making sure oncosexual healthcare is standardized, funded, integrated, inclusive, and equitable.

• Utilizing available consensus and evidence-based guidelines from national and professional organizations to support best practice.

• Taking advantage of available infrastructure, including the current emphasis on and investment in survivorship care contexts, as well as the existing virtual platforms and technologies that provide a wide reach for professional collaboration, training, and provision of patient care.

• Increasing the visibility and utilization of the expertise that the Scientific Network offers with regard to professional training, the development of best practices, and as a resource for reputable patient information on issues pertaining to sexual health in cancer survivorship.

What Did Conference Attendees Have to Say about Their Experiences?  

“Excellent review of the most up-to-date information in an engaging format. It’s wonderful to hear information from experts in the field and to learn what others are doing in this space!”

“I gained so much new information. I am excited to share with my team and create a sexual health program in our cancer institute.”

“There were a lot of take-home messages. I particularly loved that there were a lot of different professionals sharing their passion to help women with sexual dysfunction. Many have found ways to help women and I feel that the most important thing is to share in order to grow. It is important to train and educate professionals about women’s sexual health. I loved the part about estrogen use after breast cancer [and] the information about mastectomy as I never really knew about the challenges such patients have. Thank you and I will be back.”

“I thought it was amazing. I didn’t want to miss a minute of the speakers.”

Inaugural Scientific Network Travel Scholarship

Congratulations to Haerim Lee, one of the recipients of the Scientific Network’s inaugural Travel Scholarship Award. This new award supports travel, lodging, and registration to attend the Network Conference. Dr. Lee is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Center for Nursing Excellence in Palliative Care at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and presented a poster at the conference titled Gender Differences in Factors Associated with Sexual Satisfaction among Older Cancer Survivors.

“The travel scholarship enabled me to attend the conference in person for the first time, and it was more informative and engaging than I had expected. Attending the conference provided me with a valuable opportunity to learn, network, and exchange ideas with many other researchers and clinicians dedicated to improving cancer survivors’ sexual health across the country. Thanks to the scholarship, I took my initial step towards becoming involved in the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer throughout my research career.”

Drs. Carol Kuhle and Jennifer Barsky Reese, Chair

Drs. Jeanne Carter and Carol Kuhle

Drs. Carol Kuhle and Shari Goldfarb

Research Spotlight

McVicker L, Labeit AM, Coupland CA, et al. Vaginal Estrogen Therapy Use and Survival in Females with Breast Cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2024;10(1):103-108. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.4508

This brief report, published in JAMA Oncology in November 2023 by McVicker and colleagues, provides important findings regarding breast cancer related mortality associated with use of vaginal estrogen therapy for treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause for breast cancer survivors.

This research consisted of a large population-based examination of two cohorts from Scotland and Wales. Data were taken from national cancer registry records, prescribing or dispensing records, and mortality records. The data included were from 2010 to 2017 in Scotland and 2000 to 2016 in Wales, with follow up for cancer-related mortality until 2020. The sample comprised 49,237 women, 40-79 years of age diagnosed with breast cancer.

Overall, 5% of women were prescribed vaginal estrogen therapy after breast cancer diagnosis in this sample. Analyses compared breast cancer related mortality among breast cancer patients who were prescribed vaginal estrogen therapy to those who were not. The authors concluded that there was no evidence of early cancer related mortality associated with use of vaginal estrogen therapy in this sample.

This report includes valuable information derived from large population-based cohorts. Notably, the authors highlight that the findings support the use of vaginal estrogen therapy for breast cancer survivors to treat genitourinary symptoms when non-hormonal methods for treatment have been ineffective.

Member Spotlight

Naa Dromo Korley, BS

2024 Stacy Tessler Lindau Trainee Research Award Recipient

Tell us about yourself and your background:

Hi everyone, I’m Naa Dromo Korley, a first-generation student from Ghana. I'm the oldest of two siblings, with a younger brother and sister. Come July, I'll be starting medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Outside of academics, I have a passion for music—I play the piano at church and sing in the choir. I also love to bake and stay active by playing volleyball and basketball, and hitting the gym. Quality time with loved ones is something I truly cherish.