[Oncosexology--sex therapy for cancer patients].

In recent years, cancer, the main cause of patients' mortality in the western world, is turning into a chronic disease with increasing survivor rates, following advances in treatment methods. The disease and its therapies have a negative effect on the patient's quality of life and that of his or her partner and other family members. Cancer and its associated treatments [chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgical procedures] lead to a decline in the patients' level of physiological as well as psychological functioning and have a negative impact on their ability to maintain intimacy and healthy sex life with their partners. Sexual dysfunctions are identified among the majority of oncology patients, particularly those with gynecological and urological cancers. Although sexual problems are common among cancer patients, very little professional and therapeutic attention is provided to them. More so, the patients themselves are usually not aware of and do not receive adequate information regarding their sexual difficulties and about possible treatments. The oncosexology intervention system encompasses a team of interdisciplinary professionals (medical doctors, psychologists, social workers, couple therapists and sexologists, oncology nurses etc), together providing cancer patients and their partners with up-to-date information and adequate therapy focusing on their sexual and relational needs. There is currently a need to increase awareness and provide professional training in the field of oncosexology to medical doctors, nurses and other professional working with cancer patients in order for them to support their clients and improve their quality of life.

Uterine retiform sertoli-leydig cell tumor: report of a case providing additional evidence that uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors have a histologic and immunohistochemical phenotype of genuine sex cord tumors.

We report a case of a retiform Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor of intermediate differentiation presenting as a uterine intracavity polypoid mass in a 63-year-old woman. In contrast to sertoliform endometrioid carcinoma and to hitherto reported uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors (UTROSCTs), which are primarily characterized by tubular glands and solid tubules, this tumor, which most likely represents a UTROSCT, showed a large spectrum of histologic features typical of a genuine retiform Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed by a battery of immunohistochemical stains, which also served as a tool for differential diagnosis with other neoplasms. The tumor cells were positive for broad spectrum keratin (CK) CK18, vimentin, calretinin, and progesterone receptor. Only a few isolated cells stained for inhibin. The tumor cells were negative for CK7, CK5/6, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), thrombomodulin, 013 (CD99), melan A, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), alpha-1-antitrypsin, estrogen receptor, S100, neurone specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin, synaptophysin, desmin, caldesmon, and CD10. Divergent differentiation of uterine cells seems to be the most likely pathogenetic mechanism. To the best of our knowledge, no UTROSCT showing such a variety of histologic features indicative of a true sex cord tumor has been reported before.