2023-11-22 10:05:37
by Vera Martinella
The results of a survey based on requests received at the Sex and The Cancer association’s listening desk. Talking to doctors is essential to receive solutions and advice
Returning to normality after a cancer diagnosis also involves reclaiming one’s sexuality and having a satisfying intimate life. A goal which, although achievable, still remains distant for many patients and also for many people who have recovered. The first results of the Listening Desk confirm this Sex and The Cancer, project born in 2020 with the aim of breaking both the many taboos that those directly involved have when it comes to dealing with sexuality during or after treatment for cancer, and the silence of doctors, who are still unwilling to deal with the topic which thus ends up being completely overlooked in the vast majority of cases. 57% of patients experience difficulty and pain during sexual intercourse, 25% experience a decrease in desire and 12% suffer from disorders such as recurrent cystitis, vaginal dryness, psychological problems and insomnia.
Break the silence
The results of the survey presented in recent days at the national Sex and The Cancer conference offer an insight into a reality that remains mostly hidden and concern 1,400 women between 45 and 55 years old with a diagnosis of cancer who turned to the help desk. of psychological and medical orientation of the association dedicated to the topic of sexuality after cancer. Many of the treatments that women have to face have consequences not only immediately, during treatments, but also in the long term – comments Amalia Vetromile, former cancer patient, creator of Sex and The Cancer and president of the Mamanonmana Aps Association -: pathologies urogenital disorders and early menopause are widespread, they have repercussions on the sphere of reproductive and sexual health, but too often kept quiet due to modesty or lack of awareness. While it is possible today to continue having a satisfying sexual life, it is essential that sufferers overcome their embarrassment to discuss the subject with doctors and ask them for advice on the problems that afflict them. In order to improve women’s sexual health, Sex and The Cancer collaborates with various hospital facilities to activate paths that lead these women to the possibility of having supportive therapies. Like, for example, the vaginal laser which allows the reconstitution of collagen, trophism, the nourishment of vaginal tissues, allowing the woman to have a more satisfying relationship life – adds Vetromile -. The medical manufacturing company Deka donated one to us which we installed at the city hospital in Aprilia.
Many factors influence sexuality
According to international statistics, approximately 60 percent of people who live after cancer, with no more signs of the disease, present difficulties in the sexual sphere. The impact of cancer on sexuality is different for everyone and depends on the interaction of various factors: the experience of one’s sexuality before the disease, the type of cancer and treatments undergone, prognosis, age, gender (male or female), the existence or otherwise of a couple relationship, the quality of the couple relationship, one’s self-esteem. Oncological therapies (surgery, drugs or radiotherapy) are mainly aimed at reducing the tumor as much as possible – explains oncologist Alessandra Fabi, head of Precision Medicine in Senology at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome -. These, of course, have side effects on the body. It is important that the doctor is careful to prematurely grasp the signals that come from women and to stimulate a doctor-patient dialogue on these issues. Because remedies exist (from those to combat incontinence, to lasers for atrophy, to lubricants for vaginal dryness, without neglecting the support of psychological or sexologist specialists), but they are mostly paid and one of the objectives of Sex and the Cancer urge the Institutions to ensure that the treatments available for the treatment of urogenital syndrome, as a side effect of oncological therapies, fall within the Essential Levels of Assistance (Lea).
Disorders in women
The set of symptoms in women (hot flashes, sweating, fatigue, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse and decreased libido) does not differ from those that occur in physiological menopause, but they arise more suddenly and are perceived , particularly by younger women, as more annoying and difficult to accept. Vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse are certainly the most frequently reported disorders: the dryness is mainly caused by the lack of estrogen which causes changes in the vaginal mucosa which thins and becomes atrophic and normal lubrication is lost. Many therapies, especially in younger women, lead to consequences, such as premature menopause – says Donatella Caserta, professor of gynecology and director of Gynecology at the Sant’Andrea Sapienza University of Rome -: this can determine not only the impossibility of having subsequently a pregnancy (for which much can be done today before starting anti-cancer treatments) but, often, to have what we define as urogenital syndrome, or a whole series of disorders linked to the lower tract which also prevent to have relationships.
For the men
Men may also have problems if they have had surgery in the pelvic area (rectum, anus, bladder, testicles or prostate), have had radiotherapy in this area or have had chemotherapy. Defending male sexuality is also possible, both at a surgical level, with interventions that save the affected areas when possible, and by adopting certain measures in the area when it is necessary to irradiate. From rehabilitation to drugs against erectile dysfunction, a lot can be done to preserve intimate life and psychological support and consultation with sexologists are also crucial.
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November 22, 2023 (modified November 22, 2023 | 09:07)
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