SynthesisFrontiers in public health2026
Sexual life and intimate relationship experience among bladder cancer patients: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objectives: The global incidence of bladder cancer continues to rise. Treatments for this disease, particularly radical cystectomy and urinary diversion, can profoundly disrupt sexual function and intimate relationships, leading to physiological, psychological, relational, and existential changes. However, qualitative evidence syntheses that integrate these experiences remain limited. This review aimed to synthesize qualitative research on bladder cancer patients' sexual life and intimate relationship experiences in order to inform the development of couple-centered interventions and continuous sexual rehabilitation services. Methods: This study was conducted as a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis and was reported in accordance with ENTREQ. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP were searched from database inception to January 2026 for qualitative studies on the sexual life and intimate relationship experiences of bladder cancer patients. Studies were selected according to predefined PICoS-based eligibility criteria. Methodological quality was independently appraised by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, and the findings were synthesized using Thomas and Harden's three-stage thematic synthesis approach. Results: A total of 10 studies involving 183 participants were included in the synthesis. Fifty-four qualitative findings were aggregated into nine categories and then synthesized into three overarching findings: (1) multiple changes and challenges in sexual life after treatment; (2) changes and adjustments in intimate relationships; and (3) needs and expectations for sexual rehabilitation. Conclusion: Bladder cancer patients face complex physiological, psychological, relational, and existential challenges in their sexual lives and intimate relationships. Healthcare professionals should address these issues through holistic, couple-centered, and culturally sensitive care that supports both sexual recovery and long-term quality of life. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view, identifier CRD420251027779.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.