It can be a sensitive subject: sex after a cancer diagnosis. But for the nearly 317,000 women who will likely be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year alone, according to the American Cancer Society, a cancer treatment plan can have lasting effects—in the bedroom and beyond.

A new study, published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, reports as many as 85% of breast cancer patients experience sexual dysfunction in connection with either their diagnosis or treatment.

However, despite the overwhelming frequency of this experience, “only a small fraction of breast cancer patients receives sexual medicine consultations.”

“Addressing sexual health concerns with these patients and offering treatment options are necessary to break the taboo surrounding these discussions,” said the study’s authors, a team from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of sexual dysfunction can include:

  • Reduced libido
  • Dyspareunia (or pain during intercourse)
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty orgasming
  • Lack of sensation in the breasts or nipples

Looking at data from 15,857 breast cancer patients, the team analyzed the type of cancer treatment the patients received versus reported sexual well-being scores, as well as how many individuals received sexual medicine consultations.

Sexual medicine consultations geared for breast cancer patients can focus on “other areas of their bodies for arousal, and help women be more confident with their sexuality despite the loss of their natural breasts.”

In the selected patients, 8,510 (53.7%) had undergone breast-conserving therapy, often referred to either as a partial mastectomy or lumpectomy. Breast-conserving therapy removes only part of the breast.

Meanwhile 7,347 of the patients (46.3%) underwent postmastectomy breast reconstruction, or rebuilding the breast after a full removal of breast tissue and oftentimes the nipple and skin.

After looking at more than 12 years of BREAST-Q scores—a method of measuring self-reported patient outcomes—patients with postmastectomy breast reconstruction had “consistently” lower sexual well-being scores than those who had breast-conserving therapy, while breast-conserving therapy patients reported improvements in their sexual well-being about six months after their surgeries.

Other negative conditions or experiences were associated with lower health scores in individuals with postmastectomy breast reconstruction, including:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Separated marital status
  • Hyperlipidemia (or high cholesterol)
  • Higher body mass index
  • Psychiatric diagnosis

Ultimately, out of more than 15,000 participants involved in the study, only 299 patients (3.5%) who underwent breast-conserving therapy and 400 patients (5.4%) who underwent postmastectomy breast reconstruction received sexual medicine consultations.

Regardless of which treatment method breast cancer patients and their medical teams select, the study’s authors say healthcare providers should more frequently “counsel these patients about sexual health and encourage them to seek sexual health interventions.”

Additionally, for women given the choice between pursuing breast-conserving therapy versus mastectomy, the former may be the “superior choice” in regards to their sexual health moving forward, concludes the study.

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Molly Jasinski
Molly Jasinski has worked as a writer, editor and social media manager for almost 15 years. She previously worked as an editor for the magazine Birds & Blooms. She’s also held other positions at Trusted Media Brands, working on direct-to-consumer books, editing special interest publications, and assisting with digital production and social me...
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Molly Jasinski