Breast Cancer and Sexuality

A review of the benefits of whole body exercise during and after treatment for breast cancer

“…1996, Mock 1998, Carpenter et al. 2004), disruption of sexual function (Young‐McCaughan 1996, Fleming & Kleinbart 2001), lymphoedema (Woods 1993, Kirshbaum 1996, 1999, Muscari 2004), nausea (Dibble et al. 2000), alopecia (Batchelor 2001), increased subcutaneous fat and weight gain (Stoll 1996, Rock et al.…”

Fatigue, Weight Gain, and Altered Sexuality in Patients With Breast Cancer: Exploration of a Symptom Cluster

“…menopause (Knobf, 1998). Symptoms of chemotherapyinduced menopause include atrophy of vulvar tissues, loss of tissue elasticity, decreased vaginal blood flow, decreased lubrication, hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue, and irritability (Fleming & Kleinbart;Ganz, Rowland, Desmond, Meyerowitz, & Wyatt, 1998;Knobf, 1998Knobf, , 2001). These symptoms may be experienced for as long as 30 months post-treatment (Nystedt, Berglund, Bolund, Fornander, & Rutqvist, 2003).…”

“…Body image related to treatment for breast cancer is another factor that affects sexuality. Fatigue, weight gain, and changes in body image can occur with chemotherapy or endocrine therapy (Nystedt et al, 2003) and can contribute to women feeling sexually undesirable (Fleming & Kleinbart, 2001). Not only does weight gain affect women's self-esteem and sexual desire, it also may have an impact on their partners' attraction to them (Holmberg, Scott, Alexy, & Fife, 2001).…”

“…The incidence is reported by 20%-90% of all patients with cancer (Andersen, 1985) with 25% -8 0% of female patients experiencing alterations in sexuality as a result of cancer or cancer treatment (Bruner & Boyd, 1999). Some reports suggest that about 50% of patients with breast cancer experience long-term sexual problems, including decreased desire, decreased arousal, changes in responsiveness to physical sensations, difficulty reaching orgasm, painful intercourse, and loss of pleasure from sex (Fleming & Kleinbart, 2001).…”

“…Lack of desire has been reported to affect as many as 11% of cancer survivors, arousal difficulties have been reported by 15%, and orgasm infrequency or inability has affected 4%-12% (Andersen, 1993;Andersen, Anderson, & deProsse, 1989;Andersen, Van der Does, & Anderson, 1992). Side effects of adjuvant treatment that affect sexual response include nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and weight gain (Fleming & Kleinbart, 2001). In addition to these side effects, chemotherapy can cause destruction of ovarian follicles of premenopausal women, which mimics the response that ovaries have to hormonal changes during…”