Sex, sexuality and cancer

Cancer and its treatment can affect how you feel about your sexuality and sex life. Knowing what is normal for you can help.

The female sexual organs include the vagina, vulva, clitoris, cervix, womb, ovaries, urethra and back passage (anal area).

The male sexual organs include the penis, testicles and prostate gland.

Cancer and its treatments might affect your sex life. It can help to know what is normal for you so that you can understand any changes that happen.

Get information about practical issues, confidence, emotions, and changes in your body.

Find information about how cancer and treatment might affect your sexuality. Read about what might help.

Get information on how to cope with the changes that cancer, or cancer treatment, might have on your sex life.

Cancer and its treatment can make you lose interest in having sex. For many people this is temporary.

If you are single and have cancer, you may have concerns about starting a new relationship, dealing with infertility or coping with rejection. 

Get tips on how to deal with any changes in your sex life if your partner has cancer.

There are lots of organisations, support groups and helpful books to help you cope with changes to your sex life or sexuality.