Abstract
Sexuality is often a neglected component of treatment for an individual diagnosed with cancer. Research suggests that many long-term cancer survivors experience global and profound sexual dysfunction. Common sexual difficulties associated with breast cancer and its treatment include decreased sexual desire, sexual arousal difficulties, change in responsiveness to physical sensations, experience of pain during intercourse, and loss of pleasure from sex. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, fatigue, medications, and other comorbid medical illnesses may impair the female sexual response. As patients experience increased disease-free survival time, they require more attention to be directed to this important quality-of-life issue. In response to the need for professional education and clinical services for individuals who experience sexual difficulties as the result of medical illness, a unique multidisciplinary program was developed: The Sexual Health and Rehabilitation Program (SHARP) at Beth Israel Medical Center, NY. The unique contribution of sex therapy techniques to ameliorate discomfort and optimize pleasure of the patient and the partner are essential for treatment. When sexual difficulties result from a combination of psychological and physical factors, sex therapy focused on relieving the sexual symptom, in combination with other medical interventions may be most effective.