For a better life of cancer patients and their partners.

1. Sexuality in Cancer Patients
Dr. Mamdouh Sabry
MD. Ain Shams, Ph.D. France
Consultant Ob. & Gyn.
EL Mataria Teaching Hospital, Nasser Institute
Cairo, Egypt

2.  As a result of early cancer diagnosis and therapy, the
5 years survival rate is closer to 50% or more.
 Survivors must live in peace rather than living in
pieces, their partners sexual attitudes must be
respected.
 They should be happy to be alive!, they are old and
sick, they do not ask, I do not know!!! This is the way
of thinking of medical professionals.
 Human behaviors categorized into 7 subsystems >
Attachment, Achievement, Aggressive, Dependence,
Sexual, Ingestive and Eliminative.

3. Cancer Treatment & Sexuality
 40-100% of patients experience some form of sex. dysfunction
which mostly not resolve after therapy.
 Almost all ttts alter sex. function (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation
anti hormones and hormones ).
 Men will suffer erectile dysfunction, decrease libido, ejac.
Dysfunction, impotence, penile and testicular atrophy, infertility,
body image, pain and affection of physical wellbeing.
 Women will experience menst. dysfunction, early menopause, vag.
dryness and fibrosis…, decrease libido… body image… and
affection of physical wellbeing .

4. Treatment
 Psychological support by trained med. Staff for
pts. and partners.
 Well trained medical and surgical staff to offer
service in oncology sections.
 Few ttt programs have been designed and tested.
 Programs that integrate psychological, medical
and surgical methodology must be cost effective
and accessible to all patients.

5. Treatment ( Men )
 Non coital orgasm,
 Phosphodiestrase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, almost
similar ( sildenafil, vordenafil, tadalafil ) .
 Penile injection > higher rate of drop out.
 Androgen replacement therapy.
 Combination sometimes.
 Surgical >>> Prosthesis.

6.  There is no true aphrodisiac medication that can
restore sexual desire in normal hormonal
environment.

7. Treatment ( Women )
 Vaginal lubricants ( water soluble )
 Kegel exercise to relax perineal muscles.
 Vaginal dilators.
 Surgery >>> Phenton’s operation, grafting or
other operation.
 Eros clitoral therapy.

8. Conclusion
 Professional intervention will be more effective if
started as early as possible.
 Future research needs to explore which
treatment components are most effective with
particular groups of patients.
 A psycho-educational intervention is evaluated
in couples addressing the following:
Sexual anatomy Body image
Communication Attitudes & behavior
Medical and surgical ways to enhance sexuality