Breast Cancer

When your breast is surgically removed, sexual desire and activity should not automatically decrease. However, many studies have reported that women often have increased stress in regard to their sexual function after they have had mastectomy. Your stress may be caused by several things: 1) a change in how your body looks, 2) lost identity as a woman and a desirable person, 3) worry about your partner's response to the loss of the breast, 4) the cancer diagnosis itself, 5) taking further treatment which can cause hair loss and weight gain. Lumpectomy with radiation therapy can also be cause for concern such as: 1) skin reaction and fatigue can occur with radiation therapy, 2) your skin in the radiated area remains darker for several weeks to years, 3) radiation therapy is a daily treatment (5 days per week), takes 6 to 8 weeks or more, and can also cause increase anxiety and fatigue. Depression and other problems adjusting to the sometimes overwhelming schedule of treatment can occur whether you have mastectomy or lumpectomy with radiation therapy.

If you have had a mastectomy, breast reconstruction (restoring the breast through a surgical procedure) is often an option either at the time of surgery or after treatment is finished. You should know that the reconstructed breast will not look exactly like the original breast and has little or no feeling. This may be a disappointment during foreplay because fondling, touching or sucking on the breast is often sexually stimulating. There are also several varieties of breast prostheses on the market, which come in different shapes, sizes and colors.