Sexuality is a complex aspect of life that involves various factors and evolves over time. Breast cancer is a common type of cancer among women, with over 61,000 new cases in 2023 in France.

Although survival rates are favorable, the impact of cancer and its treatments on sexuality is significant, affecting around 72% of men and 61% of women. Many patients experience sexual health problems even years after diagnosis.

Despite increasing awareness, communication about sexuality with healthcare professionals remains inadequate. Therefore, a new study focused on understanding the sexual function and frequency of breast cancer patients two years after diagnosis, as well as their communication with healthcare teams. By analyzing data from a national French longitudinal study about cancer (the VICAN study), the aim was to shed light on this important but often overlooked aspect of breast cancer care.

The VICAN study looked at French cancer survivors two and five years after diagnosis, while the present study focused on breast cancer patients two years post-diagnosis. Data was collected through patient interviews and medical records, and the authors measured sexual function and frequency using a scale adapted for breast cancer patients. They also looked at the patients’ communication about sexuality with healthcare staff. Statistical tests were used to compare groups and identify factors associated with sexual health and communication.

Out of 4,349 participants in the VICAN study 2-year assessment, 1,350 women with breast cancer took part in a phone survey. The average age at diagnosis was 50 years. Most participants had partners, lived in urban areas, and were employed. Nearly all had had surgery, many had radiotherapy and hormone therapy, and over half had chemotherapy.

Of the 1,350 women who participated in the phone survey, 60.2% experienced a decrease in sexual desire, 61.4% reported a lower sexual frequency, and 49.5% faced a decreased ability to orgasm. 

Factors like increased age, chemotherapy, and mastectomy were associated with decreased sexual desire and intercourse frequency, while being employed was linked to better sexual desire perception. Difficulty reaching orgasm was influenced by both age and treatment.

Nevertheless, satisfaction with intimacy and intercourse frequency was generally high, with 89.5% of participants being “somewhat” to “very much” satisfied with the frequency of intimate touching and kisses with their partner. Additionally, 81.6% expressed satisfaction with their sexual frequency.

Only 15% of participants discussed sexuality with their medical team, which was more common among younger women with partners and higher incomes.

This study found that sexual issues in women with breast cancer are still prevalent two years after diagnosis, and they are often overlooked in medical discussions. Factors like age and certain treatments, such as hormone therapy and mastectomy, were linked to sexual difficulties like decreased desire and orgasm problems. Employment status seemed to positively influence sexual function, possibly due to better access to healthcare resources and improved mental well-being.

Communication about sexual health between patients and their medical teams was lacking, which could be due to various barriers like embarrassment or lack of time during appointments. It is important for healthcare professionals to receive specialized training in addressing these issues, especially as sexuality is significant for a person’s well-being, regardless of age or health status.

References:

• Almont, T., Sougué, P. O., Houpert, R., Beaubrun-Renard, M., Montabord, C., Joachim, C., Véronique-Baudin, J., Bouhnik, A. D., Bendiane, M. K., Mancini, J., & Huyghe, É. (2024). Communication and sexual function and frequency in breast cancer patients 2 years after diagnosis: results from the VICAN 2 study. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 21(4), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae007