Sexual Side Effects
Sex, sexuality, and intimacy are an important part of life. Having cancer doesn’t change this. But cancer treatment can affect how you express your sexuality. You might have changes to your sex organs, sex drive, sexual function, or body image.
There are steps you can take to learn about, manage, and adapt to these changes. Learn more about what to expect and how to talk with your health care team, caregivers, and partners about sexuality and cancer.?
- Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
- What is Sexuality?
Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Cancer Treatment
We use the terms "male" and "female" to refer to sex assigned at birth. But we recognize not everyone's gender identity fits these categories.
The more information you can give your cancer care team, the more they will be able to help you get the personalized care you need. This includes information about:
- Your sexual orientation
- Your?gender identity
- What sex you were at birth
- How you describe yourself now
- What organs you were born with
- Any hormones or gender-affirming procedures you've received
What is Sexuality?
Sexuality is how you express yourself in a sexual way. It includes how you see, feel, and think about yourself as a sexual being, and the ways you show it through your actions, behaviors, and relationships. Sexuality is very personal and different for everyone. It’s sometimes called?sexual health.?
The ways you show sexuality or intimacy isn't just through sex. It also includes holding hands, giving special looks, hugging, and kissing. You also show your sexuality through the clothes you wear, and how you walk and move. ?
Your sexuality and how you show it can be affected by your age, sex, gender identity, partner status, social status, self-esteem, upbringing, emotions and mood changes, and religious and cultural beliefs. It can also be affected by your overall health.??
Your sexuality is not just about your gender.?
- Sexual orientation describes the type of people you are attracted to. You might think of yourself as straight, gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Or you may think of yourself in a different way.??
- Gender identity?is the gender you sense or feel you are. This is not necessarily the same as your sex assigned at birth.?
Many people think this is just about sex, but it’s not.?There are several other parts to your sexuality:?
- Sexual health includes sexual relationships, contraception (birth control), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
- Sexualization includes how you share your sexuality via messages, flirting, or controlling others.?
- Intimacy includes how close you feel to someone (not just physical or sexual).
- Sensuality is how aware and accepting you are of your body.? ?