EDUCATION SESSION AND IDEA FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
HI I work in a radiotherapy OP setting, seeing patients for post treatment follow up for anal and rectal cancer. I am interested in future research opportunities for pelvic dysfunction post treatment, including physical and psychological impacts in the survivorship period.
Created: 12 Feb 2026 07:02:35 PM
Last edited: 13 Feb 2026 09:02:21 AM
It would be great to have some further nurse led research into this topic.
There was a recent publication on “The impact of anal cancer treatment on female sexuality and intimacy: a systematic review” by Mary Hayes and Kate White
I have included the link from CNSA website below
app.sosido.com/articles/964715?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpYXQiOjE3NTU2OTc3NjAsImV4cCI6MTc1NjMwMjU2MCwic3ViIjoiMTczMzIifQ.cj69oZP7f-3OETj0DZqNEcf_nspEOBlBvHCzO9SSEQg
There is also a lot of information on bowel dysfunction for rectal cancer mainly Lower Anterior Resection Syndrome which includes the impact of radiotherapy treatments for rectal cancer patients. Below is a good summary on LARS.
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/low-anterior-resection-syndrome
I hope this might help.
Thank you so much for being the first person to place a discussion :-)
And what a great topic. I know locally, in my institution we recognise that improvements in our practice and knowledge need to occur around this topic.
This would make a very good research topic.
Let's see who else would like to participate.
AGITG are very keen to have nurse-led research and will be very supportive of our CoP group in facilitating this as well.
In them meantime, locally we provide
EviQ info www.eviq.org.au/getmedia/88a8303f-edb9-4d68-b7e5-6fe66d78df67/Recovering-after-pelvic-radiation-therapy-a-guide-for-women-Sydney-Uni-2011.pdf.aspx-
but note, this is only female focussed - no male version of written information is provided (that I am aware of) and no information for people undergone gender realignment.
I am about to go down a rabbit hole to see what else I can find out there with a lit search.
Also from a local point of view, we are currently working with our Allied Health team to put together a Pre-hab and LARS prevention pathway for patients diagnosed with rectal / anal Ca.
Will be great to see what other members of our CoP are doing also.