Sexual
Dysfunction
One of
the commonest side effect during breast cancer treatment
is sexual dysfunction.
Chemotherapy
can cause the ovaries of premenopausal women to
shut down and stop producing estrogen, triggering
early menopause.
Menopause
may cause vaginal dryness that makes intercourse
more painful than pleasurable, reducing a woman’s
ability to have an orgasm.
When
the ovaries shut down they also stop producing testosterone—often
called the “hormone of desire”— which can lower
the desire for sex.
In addition,
fatigue, pain, nausea, vomiting and hot flashes
that can accompany chemotherapy, radiation and hormonal
therapies leads to sexual dysfunction.
When
a woman’s breast, so strongly associated with sexuality,
is altered by surgery,the psychological impact of
breast cancer treatment can make sexual dysfunction
even more complicated.
