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Sexual Health eBook Volume4
Chapter 12

Sexual Rehabilitation After Cancer, Ralph & Barbara Alterowitz

Many cancers and cancer treatments affect sexuality. Treating cancer patients and their partners presents a complex set of issues to the sex counselor or therapist. Medical and psychological issues are added to any sexual issues a couple may have had before the cancer diagnosis and treatment. Some couples had perfectly happy and satisfying sex lives before cancers struck, and are suddenly faced with physical and psychological changes for which they were not prepared. In order to work effectively with couples affected by cancer, a therapist must be aware of the medical issues and the emotional effects of cancer and its treatments. Most references to couples apply regardless of the sexual orientation of the couple—heterosexual or same sex. In the case of a single individual without a steady partner, the therapist can explain many concepts to help the person be best prepared for effective functioning with a prospective partner.

Given the limitations, this chapter only deals with major diseases that have the potential to impair an individual and thereby the couple’s relationship. Many treatments for pelvic cancers and some breast cancers have a high probability of impairing sexual function. The psychological aspect of dealing with the cancer may also impact the individual’s and thereby the couple’s sexual function.

Many breast cancer patients experience negative sexual effects. Almost all treatments for what is termed as abdominal and pelvic malignancies, especially prostate cancer for men and gynecological cancers for women, usually impair sexual function vascularly (via blood vessels) and neurogenically (via nerves). Aggregating incidence statistics shows that about two-thirds of these patients, 6.5 million survivors in the United States, will have some impairment of their sexuality.

Sexual Health eBook Volume4 Chapter 12 $20

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