In this project the main focus is on assessing sexual functioning and the quality of sexual life after the treatment of colorectal cancer in patients and their partners.

Patients and their partners complete questionnaires concerning sexual functioning, quality of life, body image, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms, personality factors, and demographic factors. Questionnaires are completed before surgical treatment, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after diagnosis.

The results of this prospective study will give insight in 1) the incidence of sexual problems and the extent patients with colorectal cancer and their partners are bothered by these problems across time, 2) the effect of different treatment modalities on sexual functioning, 3) the relation between sexual problems and quality of life, 4) the determinants of sexual problems and the quality of sexual life adopting the biopsychosocial approach of patients with colorectal cancer who have been treated with surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy, and more specifically to the role of personality and patient factors and sexual functioning/the quality of sexual life.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in one of the participating centra, and their partners are asked to participate in this study prior to treatment.
• Patients have to be between 18 and 75 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Disease recurrence at baseline or metastases.
• Poor expression of the Dutch language.
• Dementia.
• History of psychiatric illness.

Patients with colorectal cancer and their partners