There have been many survival stories and inspirational fights put up against cancer. There have been support groups and foundations for helping the cancer patients cope up with their condition. Websites for connecting people for mutual exchange of experiences and those suffering from the same conditions have been launched. From those sites, one can gather that extensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments can result in scar tissues which can make sex extremely painful and hence, they cannot fulfill their desires. The countless surgeries and radiation can destroy vaginal tissue and make intercourse impossibly painful. But such websites help to know that there are others going through the same condition and they can be pillars of support for one another. This only goes to show that cancer treatments very much affect intimacy and can the sex life.

Cancer patients suffer from exhaustion and fatigue, issues associated with body image and depression due to cancer, which can be caused by erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, painful intercourse or premature menopause. These may be the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation and such platforms for mutual exchange of experiences would help the victims suffering from invasive surgery, traumatic injuries and birth defects.

This is not the first initiative by patients of such conditions, but there have been many top medical videos and websites like these before - STDsoulmates.com, PositiveSingles.com and DatingWithHerpes.org. There are people out there who face obstacles silently in the sexual intercourse but are embarrassed to talk about it. This cannot go for long because, every one in three Americans go through cancer in their lifetime and the aggressive treatments have an impact on their sexual function, and now, there is an emphasis on the quality of life of cancer survivors and sexual intimacy and cognitive function issues.

The affect on women is that vaginal tissues can result in scar and women can go into premature menopause after radiation and chemotherapy. This can result in vaginal dryness, loss of libido or hot flashes. The symptoms can be treated with non-hormone and hormone therapy. It is advised that one should continue with sexual activity after treatment because non-usage of vagina can close it and stick it and makes it stenotic. Also, a dilator is used to keep the vagina open, as the tissue is very flexible and can stretch itself back in shape.

Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens at the top of the vagina. Find out about cervical cancer and other Medical News from our website.

By Jennifer C Stone