Lung Cancer Registry Launches Landmark Survey on Women's Sexual Health

The Lung Cancer Registry has launched a landmark new survey on the impact of lung treatments on women’s sexual health. The aim is to explore the magnitude of the problem and give researchers and clinicians new insights to improve the quality of life for women lung cancer survivors.

Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer (SHAWL) is the first comprehensive look at the impact of a lung cancer diagnosis on a women’s sexual quality of life. The SHAWL survey asks intimate and blunt questions about women’s sexual activity, questions that don’t get asked enough according to the lead investigator.

“We’re working hard to keep lung cancer patients alive longer, but no one stopped to ask these women questions about their sexual health,” said Narjust Duma, MD, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and SHAWL’s principal investigator. “Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer is designed to pull back the curtain, collect the data, and help researchers study these too often unspoken side effects.”

“We hope that SHAWL empowers women to share their stories, not just with the Lung Cancer Registry but also with their doctors,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, president, GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer. “There’s a huge gap in our understanding of the impact of therapies on women’s sexual dysfunction. GO₂Foundation for Lung Cancer is excited to be able to help researchers tackle this important issue.”

All people diagnosed with lung cancer or their caregivers are invited to take part in the Lung Cancer Registry. Women patients who sign up for the Lung Cancer Registry will be asked to complete the SHAWL survey.

About the Lung Cancer Registry

The Lung Cancer Registry is a community for people with all forms of lung cancer. Powered by data from patients and caregivers, this platform gives those most affected by lung cancer a voice. Registered patients, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers can access de-identified information. Founded in 2016, the Lung Cancer Registry is a core program of the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer. The Registry joined forces with the American Lung Association and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer to expand the effort to advance research for the world's deadliest cancer.