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New research suggests that complications and preparative procedures linked to stem cell transplantation may lead to sexual dysfunction in both men and women. This is according to a study published in the journal Blood.

Researchers from the City of Hope Cancer Research Hospital in Duarte, California, say that graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) - a complication that can arise after stem cell transplantation (SCT) when donor cells attack recipient cells - could be a cause of diminished sexual health.

Furthermore, they found a link between diminished sexual health in men and total body radiation - a preparation treatment administered prior to the SCT procedure.

Stem cell transplantation is a commonly used and effective form of treatment for those suffering from blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

The procedure involves taking stem cells either from a patient's own blood or bone marrow, or a matched donor, and replacing the patient's damaged cells with healthy cells.

The researchers note that previous studies have indicated that after this procedure, while a person may physically recover, their sexual health may be slower in returning to normal.

To look into this further, the researchers conducted a study to investigate the long-term effects of stem cell transplantation on sexual health.

The study involved 277 adults of a mean age of 48, of which 152 were men and 125 women. All patients underwent SCT for blood cancer at the City of Hope between 2001 and 2005.

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'Sex drive slows' after stem cell transplantation