Does every breast cancer survivor experience changes in her sexual health?
The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 90% of breast cancer survivors experience some alteration in their sexuality.
This could be on the outside (e.g., how a woman’s body looks or how her genitals, vagina, vulva, or clitoris may react to stimulation) or on the inside (e.g., how a woman feels about herself, her level of sexual desire, and/or her attitudes about being with her partner). Despite this high percentage, most women are able to redefine “adequate and satisfying” sexual activity and reclaim a sense of normalcy of physical intimacy.
Terms:
Sexuality – The feelings, behaviors, and identities associated with sex.
Vagina – The part of the female genital tract that connects the uterus to the external vulva. It is 8 to 10 cm in Length.
Vulva – The external genital organs of the female, including the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, and vestibule of the vagina.
Clitoris – The erectile organ in women whose external portion is located at the junction of the labia minora just in front of the vestibule
