Sexuality and Breast Cancer

Karen Tamlyn (Nursing), Jane Worth (New Brunswick Department of Health), Suzanne Lemieux, Shannon Glenn and I have collaborated on a research project investigating the impact of chemically induced menopause (CIM) on the sexual functioning of breast cancer survivors. This research was funded by grants from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the New Brunswick Medical Research Fund. We conducted interviews with 30 breast cancer survivors about how breast cancer treatment negatively or positively affected their sexual functioning.

Women’s experiences of the impact of treatment on their sexual functioning varied. However, the majority of women had experienced one or more negative changes in their sexual functioning that they associated with CIM such as decreased sexual desire and/or decreased sexual arousal. Most women indicated that these changes were important to them and had a negative emotional impact on them. For example, for many women, decreased sexual functioning following CIM negatively affected how they felt about themselves as women. However, we also found that there were factors, such as partner support and receiving information about CIM, that helped to lessen the negative impact of sexual changes.

Here is our publication based on this work:

Glenn, S., Lemieux, S., Byers, E.S., Tamlyn, K., & Worth, J. (2006). Chemically-induced menopause and breast cancer survivors’ experiences of sexual functioning. Women & Therapy, 29, 83-106.