Women’s Sexuality and Cancer The Focus of The Women’s Sexual Health Journal

Cincinnati, OH — The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation has published its most recent journal with an issue devoted entirely to Women’s Sexuality and Cancer. The topic of cancer and sexuality is rarely addressed with women. However, we find that most women have a multitude of questions concerning how cancer may impact sexual function. Women are asking questions. Will chemotherapy impact my sexual function, and how? Why did ovarian cancer decrease my desire for intimacy? Will my physician take me seriously? If I had only known that my cancer could impact my sex life I would not have felt so alone with my symptoms? What about estrogen and vaginal dryness? Is estrogen off limits? As a result, there is a great need to bring educational information from both the physical and psychological perspective to women who traditionally have received little information in this area. And in turn this same information needs to get into the hands of healthcare providers.

Up to one half of women who survive breast or gynecological cancers complain of severe and lasting sexual difficulties. Breast cancer survivors express that their sexual health problems are disheartening. Women who have had other cancers, such as Hodgkin’s or leukemia, also are left with sexual complaints. In general, these women report a decreased desire for sex and/or painful intercourse.

According to Dr. Michael Krychman, a gynecologist with expertise in women’s sexual health at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City and one of the authors of the sexual medicine article in the journal , “ Sexual health after cancer is a much neglected issue for female cancer survivors. It is imperative that we educate both healthcare providers and female cancer patients that life after cancer includes sexual functioning and with positive sexual health women often have improved quality of life.” This issue of the Women’s Sexual Health Journal is the educational tool for women and healthcare providers to address these concerns. It offers solutions from medications, complimentary medicine, pain management, emotional support and more. A personal story written by a cancer survivor describes her journey and how cancer impacted her sexual function and relationship from an intimacy perspective and the steps she has taken.


Media who wish to receive copies of a PDF version of The Women’s Sexual Health Journal on Women’s Sexuality and Cancer may contact info@twshf.org and specifically request this issue of the journal.

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About The Women’s Sexual Health Journal
The Women’s Sexual Health Journal is an on-line quarterly journal available through The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation. It contains personal stories about women and their sexual health difficulties, and articles on sexual medicine, health, and research topics that receive little attention in medical schools and healthcare providers’ training. For more information about the journal go to www.TWSHF.org




About The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation
TWSHF is an international non-profit organization whose primary mission is to educate the public and healthcare professionals on women’s sexual health. The Foundation has numerous resources for the public and healthcare professionals at www.TWSHF.org , including educational brochures in English, German and Spanish and The Women’s Sexual Health Journal for members. The Foundation just completed its second annual Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) and Health Symposium for healthcare professionals and students in April in New York City in conjunction with the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more information on future Symposia, e-mail info@twshf.org.