
Sexual Pain for Women With Cancer Should Not Be Overlooked: Report
FRIDAY, Nov. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Painful sex is common, though often treatable, in women with cancer, yet doctors often overlook it, researchers say.
"Sexual pain is often written off as 'in people's heads,' but it is more often a result of physical issues that can be helped," said Dr. Vanessa Kennedy, an assistant professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of California, Davis, Health System.
"It is important to be able to have the conversation comfortably and to know how to address the common issues that are often predictable, depending on a patient's treatment course," she said in a university news release.
In their review paper, Kennedy and co-author Dr. Deborah Coady, from NYU Langone Medical Center, outlined several causes of painful sex in women with cancer, and listed treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy.
A low estrogen level is most often to blame. It usually stems from hormone therapy, ovary removal or radiation to the pelvic region, Kennedy said.
"Diagnosing a purely psychological basis for sexual pain is only appropriate after biologic causes have been completely evaluated and ruled out," Kennedy added.
She said gynecologists should work with cancer specialists to learn more about the possible effects of a patient's cancer therapy.
Most women find it hard to bring up sexual difficulties and would prefer their doctors to ask about it, according to Kennedy.
"Time and time again, I see women who have had negative impacts for years following cancer therapy. It's an incredible relief for them to be able to just sit down and have the conversation," she said.
The paper was published recently in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
-- Robert Preidt
Article Credits / Source
Sponsored Product
More Cancer Articles
No Benefit From Routine Thyroid Cancer Screening: Task Force0
TUESDAY, Nov. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors should not screen for thyroid cancer in patients who have no symptoms of the disease, according to a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation. It reaffirms a recommendation ...
Depressed Women Less Likely to Get Best Breast Cancer Care: Study0
FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer patients with a history of depression are less likely to receive recommended care for their disease, a new study finds. The study included more than 45,000 Danish women diagnosed with ...
Earnings Fall After a Child's Cancer Diagnosis0
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- After a child's cancer diagnosis, parents' income often drops and mothers frequently stop working, a new study finds. Moreover, the financial effects of a cancer diagnosis can last years, with mothers' ...
Monoclonal Antibodies0
home / cancer center / cancer a-z list / monoclonal antibodies index / monoclonal antibodies drug monograph Pharmacy Author: Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD Omudhome Ogbru, PharmDDr. Ogbru received his ...
New Drug May Brighten Outlook for Advanced Breast Cancer0
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A recently approved drug can help slow the progression of advanced breast cancer, a new clinical trial confirms. The drug, called palbociclib (Ibrance), was approved in the United States last year ...
0 Comments
Write a Comment
Tag Cloud
Our Mailing List
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest health news as it breaks!
Author
The full comment or 255 characters
View Article➦