Some of the possible effects of cancer and its treatment on sexuality are described here. Later, we suggest some ways in which these problems can be overcome It is very difficult to predict accurately how cancer and its treatment will affect you, but some people may need to adapt to changes and develop new ways of giving and receiving sexual pleasure. Cancer does not mean your sexuality will be destroyed. With support and clear communication, you may still be able to enjoy fulfilling sex. There are four main ways that cancer or its treatment can affect your sexuality. It can affect your:
- physical ability to give and receive sexual pleasure
- thoughts and the way that you feel about your body (body image)
- feelings, such as fear, sadness, anger and joy
- roles and relationships
The links between these four areas are important. If there is a problem in one of them, it may have an impact on another. When someone becomes ill, it can affect their ability to feel good about themselves sexually, or their physical ability to give and receive sexual pleasure. If this has happened to you or your partner, then it might be helpful to understand that some changes will only be temporary. Even if they are long lasting, or permanent, you can learn to modify previous techniques that are no longer possible. You can learn to feel good about yourself sexually despite the presence of cancer and the possible side effects of the treatments. Many people with cancer say that they feel washed out and almost completely without energy over many months or even years. This may be to do with the cancer itself, or sometimes the treatment. In this situation you might not want to bother to do anything at all about sex. This tiredness can lead to loss of interest in sex during and after cancer treatment. In many relationships one partner may be more interested in the sexual aspect than the other. Cancer can exaggerate this mismatch. If one partner has a change in their level of desire, this may be upsetting when there is the added complication of cancer.
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