Male Pelvic/Genital Cancers

• You can still be excited by the right stimulus even if sexual frequency is decreased. Arousal (excitement) can happen when looking at erotic books, pictures or movies. An increase in the length of foreplay (e.g. romantic dinners, bathing together, different surroundings) can also be exciting.
• Masturbation together may allow you to reach orgasm and ejaculation even if you are unable to have an erection with enough stiffness for penetration. Your partner can massage your penis by pushing/pressing downward from the base of the penis. Your partner should not pull it up toward your abdomen as this will cause your penis to lose blood. If your penis is partly erect, a female partner can put it into her vagina and then flex and relax the muscles in the vagina; this may help you get an erection.
• During ejaculation, semen may be forced into your bladder rather than coming out of your penis and this may make you feel "less manly". However, your partner may actually enjoy oral sex more because they may not care for the taste of semen.
• If you have problems with controlling your urine or with dribbling during sex, make sure to empty your bladder first. You may also wish to wear a condom if your partner worries about this. It is important to remember too, that urine is sterile when it first comes from the bladder unless there is a bladder infection.
• Your sexual desire may decrease because of treatment with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, however your testosterone hormone may have also decreased. You may be able to have replacement therapy to increase your testosterone levels that, in turn, increases sexual desire. However, if your cancer is hormonally dependent (the cancer grows when exposed to testosterone), this may not be possible. Check with your physician.
• If your cancer has caused you to lose one or both testicles and this makes you feel embarrassed or less manly, ask your urologist about the possibility of a silicone testicle implant
• If you have had a partial removal of your penis and the remaining stump is not large enough for penetration, you may wish to use a penis-shaped vibrator as a substitute. If your penis has been totally removed, you can stimulate the pubic area, the area between the penis and rectum, as well as the testicles to produce orgasms.