Sex and cancer for women
Hormone therapy for cancer uses medicines to block or lower the amount of hormones in the body. This can stop or slow down the growth of cancer.
Cancers that can be hormone sensitive include:
breast cancer
ovarian cancer
womb cancer (also called uterine or endometrial cancer)
Some of the side effects of these treatments can affect your sex life.
Many hormone treatments for breast cancer can cause vaginal changes such as discharge or dryness. Progesterone is a hormone treatment for womb cancer. Its side effects can include a lowered sexual interest.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you are having problems with any side effects of hormone treatment. Your team might be able to recommend treatment or lifestyle changes that could help.
The menopause is sometimes called the change of life. This normally happens in females in their 40s and 50s, when women stop producing sex hormones. Their periods become irregular and eventually stop. Women can then no longer become pregnant.
Some hormone treatments can cause an early menopause. This might be reversible, as it is with the hormone treatment goserelin (Zoladex). Goserelin is sometimes used to block female sex hormones in younger women with breast cancer.
Hormone treatments such as tamoxifen might make an early menopause more likely. The closer you are to the age you would have menopause naturally, the more likely it is that tamoxifen will cause your menopause. You might also get other menopausal symptoms, even if you’ve already had your menopause.
An early menopause due to cancer treatment can be a shock. It might feel physically and emotionally overwhelming at first. It can take time to adjust to the loss of fertility and other symptoms. These symptoms might include:
vaginal dryness
tiredness
hot flushes
sweating
Some post menopausal women with breast cancer take aromatase inhibitors instead of tamoxifen. Examples of aromatase inhibitors include anastrozole (Arimidex) or letrozole (Femara).
These medicines also lower levels of oestrogen, which can reduce sexual desire. Aromatase inhibitors may have side effects such as fatigue and depression. These can also affect sexual desire.
Find out about coping with a low sex drive
If you’re worried about anything to do with your sex life or sexuality, you may want to talk through how you’re feeling. You could do this with a counsellor or therapist. Or you could contact some of the organisations that offer support and information.
Last reviewed: 30 Sept 2024
Next review due: 30 Sept 2027
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