Read time: 6 minutes
Sex can feel like a taboo topic for anyone, 但性和其他形式的亲密关系是关系的重要组成部分, including for people with cancer. 癌症本身和某些治疗方法会对人的性器官产生暂时或永久的身体和情感影响, fertility, relationship with their body, ability to become aroused, and desire to want to be intimate with their partner.
性健康资源可以大发娱乐癌症患者保持积极的性生活. 与亨茨曼癌症研究所的专家谈论性和性亲密关系 Sexual Health and Wellbeing Clinic 让病人了解他们的选择，以及他们在治疗期间和治疗后的期望.
Cancer Types and Treatments that Affect Sex
癌症患者的性行为可能看起来不同，这没关系. 癌症如何影响一个人的性生活可能取决于他们患的是什么类型的癌症以及他们所经历的治疗.
Common types of cancer that may impact sex, sex drive (libido), fertility, and body image include breast; prostate; leukemia; anal; and reproductive cancers such as gynecologic, penile, and testicular cancer. 其他形式的癌症也可能影响一个人的性健康和性生活.
年龄在18到35岁之间的人患睾丸癌的风险最高, and we're not always thinking about cancer in that age group.
Cancer treatments can affect a person’s sex life during treatment and long term. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy (or chemo), and hormone therapy are common types of treatment for cancer. 患者应该询问医生，在接受某些治疗后，他们是否应该等多久才能进行性行为.
- 手术可能会改变一个人的外表、性欲或生育能力.
- 辐射到骨盆区域可能导致阴道出血或性交时不适.
- 化疗和激素治疗可以通过降低激素水平来影响外观和性器官. This can lead to changes in the ability to create eggs and sperm, 它可能会引起口腔和阴道粘膜的反应, making sex painful. 患者应该询问他们的医生，性生活是否会增加感染的风险.
乳腺癌如此可怕的原因之一是因为乳房是大发娱乐外表的重要组成部分，也是大发娱乐与伴侣性亲密关系的重要组成部分.
Before Treatment
People with cancer should talk to their cancer care team before treatment begins to learn about possible outcomes and ask questions. A person’s ability to have children or become pregnant, called fertility, can be impacted by cancer and certain treatments. 癌症患者在接受癌症治疗前与医生讨论生育问题是非常重要的. Here are a few examples of questions to ask:
- What are my options?
- How much time do I have before I start treatment?
- How will I know if I am fertile after my cancer treatment?
- How do I know when it is safe to try having a baby?
- Will there be any health risks to me or my future children?
- What can be done to help protect my fertility?
Huntsman Cancer Institute works with the Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine 他在犹他大学大发娱乐癌症患者在治疗后想要孩子.
During Treatment
There are many physical, physiological, and emotional side effects during cancer treatment that can change a person’s sex life. 许多癌症患者都有减少性欲的感觉和情绪，比如压力, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and changed appearance.
- For people with penises: genital discomfort, pain during ejaculation, or difficulty having or keeping an erection, or fertility changes
- For people with vaginas: dry vagina, abnormal vaginal discharge or lack thereof, bleeding before or after sex, or fertility changes
Pregnancy during cancer treatment can harm the fetus. 对于那些正在接受癌症治疗的人来说，使用有效的避孕措施是很重要的. Most doctors recommend using two methods to avoid pregnancy. 患者可能无法使用某些类型的避孕措施，如避孕药，应该与他们的护理团队讨论最好和最安全的避孕方法.
在接受治疗时，体液中可能含有抗癌药物的痕迹. This can pose a risk to sexual partners. 患者应咨询医生，了解所服用的药物是否会造成这种风险. 了解更多关于如何保护你自己和你的伴侣 Sexual Health during and after Cancer Treatment fact sheet.
After Treatment
那些接受过癌症治疗的人可能会经历暂时或永久的性副作用. 这些变化会影响一个人在卧室内外与自己的关系，以及与任何性伴侣的关系.
After cancer treatment, 患者应继续与他们的癌症护理小组或他们的初级保健医生进行随访，以获得有关其性健康和生育能力的医疗建议. 人们应该和他们的癌症护理团队讨论治疗后多久应该避免怀孕. 大多数患者需要在完成癌症治疗后的6个月到1年内避免怀孕. The time may be shorter or longer, depending on the situation. 癌症治疗也可能永久性地影响一个人找对象或怀孕的能力. 因此，在癌症治疗开始前谈论生育能力是至关重要的.
Sexual Health Resources
癌症治疗期间或之后的一些性副作用会使性生活痛苦. 对于那些生来就被指定为女性的人来说，有很多资源可以大发娱乐他们让性生活更愉快. 这些包括药物、润滑剂、保湿剂和阴道扩张器. Lubricants and moisturizers can be found at pharmacies and online. Dilators can be purchased at specialty shops or online. Additional information can be found on our Women’s Sexual Health after Cancer Treatment fact sheet. These do not prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
- Vaginal lubricants 立即工作以缓解性交时的干燥，并可放置在阴道内和周围, on penises, other body parts, or other instruments that go into the vagina. 使用水基和硅基润滑剂，而不是油基或其他含有甘油或香料的产品，因为这些产品可能会刺激.
- Vaginal moisturizers 在没有性生活时大发娱乐缓解干燥，应该经常使用，每周最多三次. Oil-based moisturizers are OK 对于没有尿路感染、酵母菌感染或糖尿病病史的人.
- Vaginal dilators 是否可以用时间慢慢地轻轻拉伸阴道，是否应该配合阴道润滑器使用.
Sexual Health and Wellbeing Clinic
出生时被指定为女性的癌症患者，如果有疑问或正在寻求性健康资源，可以在 The Sexual Health and Wellbeing Clinic. 这家诊所为病人大发娱乐提供了一个谈论性和性健康的安全场所. 大发娱乐提供者可以讨论如何预防副作用和改善性功能, plus offer treatment options and sexual health counseling. This can help patients learn new ways to cope with physical changes, deal with stress, strengthen intimate relationships, and grieve the loss of their health.
To schedule an appointment, patients may fill out the Appointment Request form or contact the scheduling coordinator:
Angela Pace
Phone: 801-587-4399
Fax: 801-585-3606
Email angela.pace@hci.galleriecorazon.net
More Resources
Patient and Family Support social workers and groups
Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine