Title : A narrative review on the roles of nursing in sexual dysfunction among oncological patients with updated recommendations

Background: Sexual dysfunction affects an estimated 50–70% of cancer survivors but remains underrecognized and undertreated, impacting quality of life and emotional well-being.

Methods: This narrative review involves a comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect for English-language publications (January 2010–May 2025), using combined MeSH and free-text terms for ‘sexual health’, ‘cancer’, ‘nursing’, ‘roles of nurses’, ‘immunotherapy’, ‘targeted therapy’, ‘sexual health’, ‘sexual dysfunction’, ‘vaginal dryness’, ‘genitourinary syndrome of menopause’, ‘sexual desire’, ‘body image’, ‘erectile dysfunction’, ‘climacturia’, ‘ejaculatory disorders’, ‘dyspareunia’, and ‘oncology’. We used the IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) approach to identify 1245 records and screen titles and abstracts. Fifty studies ultimately met the inclusion criteria (original research, reviews, and clinical guidelines on
oncology nursing and sexual health).

Results: All the treatments contributed to reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, dyspareunia, and body image concerns, with a prevalence of 57.5% across genders. Oncology nurses can provide sex education and counseling. Barriers (limited training, cultural stigma, and the absence of protocols) hinder effective intervention. Addressing these issues through sexual health curricula, formal referral systems, and policy reforms can enhance nursing care. Future research should assess the impact of targeted nurse education and the institutional integration of sexual health into cancer care.

Conclusions: Empowering nurses through structured education, standardized guidelines, and open communication strategies is essential for improving patient outcomes. Addressing sexual dysfunction as a routine aspect of cancer care will enhance survivors’ quality of life and foster a more holistic approach to oncology treatment. This research was conducted by a team of researchers with origins in the Middle East and China, both of whom represent conservative traditions and diverse religious backgrounds. This concise overview, which is rich in detailed references and clinical pearls, offers a unique and highly educational resource for healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines, such as nurses, physicians, social workers, psychologists, music therapists, sex therapists, and chaplains. It therefore has broad clinical implications, and practical suggestions will greatly benefit cancer patients and their providers from different disciplines.

Keywords: Glioma, Developing countries, Survival rates, Healthcare infrastructure, Treatment protocols, Oncology nursing.

Prof. Patricia Tai, a gold medal graduate from University of Hong Kong (11th place in the 2026 QS World University Rankings), trained under renowned experts Prof. John Ho (nasopharyngeal cancer), Prof. David McDonald (brain tumor response: McDonald’s criteria), and Mr. Jake Van Dyk (medical physics). As an international skin cancer specialist, she has authored five UpToDate chapters (Wolters Kluwer, Wichita, United States). She is also a Clinical Professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Western Canada. She has 153 full publications, 187 conference abstracts, and 182 presentations. She had won 13 academic awards.