What Improves Sexual Well-Being After Breast Cancer? Many Women Say Self-Help
Published on December 12, 2023
To improve sexual health and function, more than 34% of women with a history of breast cancer reported using strategies they found on their own or were recommended by someone other than their doctor, according to a study.
All the women were members of the Breastcancer.org Community. Marisa Weiss, MD, Breastcancer.org founder and chief medical officer, and Melissa Jenkins, Community director, are co-authors of the paper.
The research was published on Nov. 15, 2023, by the journal PLOS ONE. Read “Taking their wellbeing into their own hands: Self-educated and peer-recommended techniques used by women with breast cancer to improve sexual functioning during treatment and in survivorship.”
Breast cancer and sex
Research suggests that as many as 75% of women diagnosed with breast cancer report some type of sexual problem, including loss of libido, and vaginal dryness, which can make intercourse painful.
At the same time, other side effects from breast cancer treatments, including body image issues, fatigue, and depression can affect how attractive some people feel or lessen their desire for sex.
Some women are uncomfortable talking to their doctors about sexual issues. Others say their doctors don’t have the time, knowledge, or resources to help them fix sexual function issues.
About the study
To learn more about how women with a history of breast cancer solve sexual problems, the researchers invited women aged 18 and older who had been diagnosed with stage I to stage IV breast cancer to participate in an online survey about the techniques they used to improve their sexual function.
Overall, 501 women completed the survey. The women were ages 30 to 79 and had been diagnosed with breast cancer between one and 43 years earlier:
73% were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer
70.4% were sexually active when they completed the survey
46.7% were extremely or very satisfied with their sex lives before breast cancer
43.9% said their sex lives were much worse after being diagnosed with breast cancer
64.6% had a partner
68.8% were heterosexual
71.4% were white
Most of the women — 57% — said they never discussed the sexual side effects of breast cancer treatment with their doctors. The two most common issues were vaginal dryness and pain with sex that involved something going into the vagina.
More than a third of the women — 34.7% — said they used a technique they found on their own or that was recommended by another woman with breast cancer to improve their sexual function.
The techniques the women reported using were aimed at easing symptoms in four broad areas.
Relieving pain: Strategies included freezing balls of coconut oil to use as a lubricant, trying different types of vaginal moisturizers, changing positions, opting for oral or manual sexual stimulation instead of intercourse, and using a vibrator or doing Kegel exercises.
Enhancing intimacy: Strategies included communicating more with the partner, explaining what is and isn’t pleasurable, working with the partner to find solutions that work for both, and planning sex ahead of time so it happened when a woman had the most energy and could mentally and physically prepare for it.
Enhancing desire: Strategies included masturbating more, reading erotica or watching a sexy video before sex, sending suggestive texts to the partner, and using a vibrator or other sex toys.
Coping with emotions: Strategies included making it a point to remember how much they enjoyed having sex with their partner(s) before breast cancer and finding new ways to have sex that was pleasurable for both partners; considering opening their relationship sexually so the partner could improve their sexual satisfaction; and managing body image concerns with lingerie that hid scars or other types of clothing.
Of the women who used a technique that they found on their own or that was recommended by another woman with breast cancer, 46% said those techniques were more effective when used along with or instead of techniques recommended by their doctors.
What this means for you
“The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can really mess up your intimate life,” said Dr. Weiss. “Women often suffer side effects of the cancer and its long-term treatments and have to figure out solutions on their own. The medical system focuses primarily on treating the breast cancer, so the management of these personal, private, and challenging aspects of care are often neglected. It’s also hard for people to ask for the care that they need, and they often don’t know whom to ask.
“Research at Breastcancer.org confirms this challenging reality,” she continued, “and clearly we need to do a better job of understanding the impact of breast treatment on people’s intimate lives.”
The researchers noted that the findings of this study can’t be widely applied because the group of women who filled out the survey weren’t diverse. Most were white, partnered, and heterosexual. The results might be different for non-white, unpartnered, non-heterosexual women.
Still, the results do offer a glimpse of the types of solutions women are using.
It’s important to know that the survey was done in 2018. Since that time, the awareness of sexual issues related to breast cancer treatment has increased. More women are talking to their doctors about these problems and doctors have more solutions to offer.
Kristin Rojas, MD, FACS, a breast cancer surgeon and a gynecologist, is the founder of the Menopause, Urogenital, Sexual Health and Intimacy Program (MUSIC) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and is a national leader in treating sexual dysfunction in women receiving cancer treatment.
On Instagram, the MUSIC program (@music_sexaftercancer) features information about new treatments and the specific issues women with cancer are experiencing and how to address them.
Listen to the episode of The Breastcancer.org Podcast featuring Dr. Rojas discussing some of the most troubling sexual issues that women taking hormonal therapy experience, along with treatment options.
