The sex life of women surviving breast cancer

Abstract

The diagnosis of breast cancer elicits diverse emotional responses in patients and partners. Surviving cancer has raised new needs and caretakers must understand the medical and psychological latent effects of oncology therapy. Improving patients’ well-being is crucial as 19 million survivors are expected in the next decade in the United States alone. In general, sexuality contributes to one’s well-being but when it is disrupted by the occurrence of cancer, women withdraw emotionally, no longer feel desirable due to esthetic damage, and become overwhelmed by the thought of sex. Alopecia and mastectomy elicit feelings of unattractiveness affecting even some women with nipple sparing mastectomy. Couples who share the psychological distress of experiencing cancer should be logically included in survivorship interventions. Hence, any support offered to the couple improves their ability to cope significantly. Treatments causing premature ovarian failure as well as adjuvant endocrine treatments deepen the effects of hypo-estrogenism on the genital modifications of arousal. Sexual rehabilitation with vaginal dilators and sensate focus exercises help to lessen pain, and reduce the couple’s anxiety toward sex. In conclusion, caregivers must realize that surviving women are often reluctant to voice their needs, thus, efficient interventions must be available to everyone.

Chinese abstract

乳腺癌诊断引起患者和伴侣不同的情绪反应。癌症幸存者已经提出了新的需求, 护理人员必须了解肿瘤治疗的医疗和心理潜在影响。改善患者的健康状况至关重要, 因为预计未来十年仅在美国就有1900万癌症幸存者。一般来说, 性行为有助于一个人的幸福, 但是它被癌症的发生而破坏时, 女性会情绪化地退出, 因为审美破坏而不满意, 并且被性想法所淹没。脱发和乳房切除术引起的缺乏吸引力的感觉甚至影响到保留乳头乳房切除术的一些女性。逻辑上分享经历癌症的心理困扰的夫妻应该包括在生存干预中。因此, 为这对夫妇提供的任何支持都会大大提高他们应对能力。 导致卵巢早衰的治疗以及辅助内分泌治疗加重了低雌激素对生殖系统改变的影响。 用阴道扩张器和感觉聚焦训练的性康复治疗有助于减轻疼痛, 并减轻夫妻对性的焦虑。 总之, 医护人员必须意识到幸存的女性通常不愿意表达自己的需求, 因此, 每个人都必须有效的干预措施。

Keywords:

• Breast cancer
• survivorship
• genital atrophy
• sexual disorders
• sexual rehabilitation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.