Overview

• The UBC-led cohort study compared more than 25,000 colorectal cancer survivors to cancer-free peers using population-based data spanning three decades.
• Survivors had a 67% higher risk of dyspareunia, with the rate climbing to 90% among those diagnosed before age 40.
• Former patients were over three times more likely to develop pelvic inflammatory disease and nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis.
• Women diagnosed at younger ages experienced a 75% greater incidence of premature ovarian failure, indicating an elevated risk of early menopause.
• The study urges routine sexual health screening and tailored support in oncology and primary care to address these underrecognized survivorship challenges.