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Sexual medicine and the female cancer patient

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Abstract

Sexual problems after cancer therapy can be distressing to the survivor. Sexual concerns are common issues that can be attributed to many different etiologies. Cancer therapies, whether surgical intervention, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormonal manipulation, can contribute to poor sexual functioning in the survivorship phase of cancer care. Many cancer institutions include specialized clinics that focus primarily on sexual dysfunctions. These health care clinics center on improving quality-of-life concerns by enhancing sexual performance. Comprehensive assessment of medical illnesses, underlying pharmacologic factors, and a complete psychosexual evaluation combined with a multimodal therapeutic approach can help these patients obtain a renewed sense of sexuality. Sexual rehabilitation medicine is an emerging subspecialty in oncology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, 10021, New York, NY, USA

    Michael L. Krychman MD, Alison Amsterdam MD & Jeanne Carter PhD

Authors
  1. Michael L. Krychman MD
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  2. Alison Amsterdam MD
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  3. Jeanne Carter PhD
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Krychman, M.L., Amsterdam, A. & Carter, J. Sexual medicine and the female cancer patient. Curr sex health rep 1, 145–150 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-004-0033-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-004-0033-0

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