Prostate cancer and its treatment can lead to discouraging changes in the sexual health of both patients and their partners. Radical prostatectomy, surgery to remove the prostate and some surrounding tissue, can result in erectile dysfunction (ED), altered penile sensation, changes in orgasm, penis shortening, and possible incontinence during sexual activity.

Although some steps have been taken to study and address these changes in the sexual health of prostate cancer patients, the needs of their sexual partners are not always considered. mambo 36 pills Therefore, a team of researchers recently designed and conducted a qualitative study on the unfulfilled sexual needs of female partners of prostate cancer patients. (Further research is underway on the sexual needs of gay and bisexual partners).

For this study, researchers used the online prostate cancer support and discussion community Inspire Us TOO, an online support community for prostate cancer patients, families, and caregivers.

In the discussion forum, they identified 661 posts about sexual health from female sexual partners. From these contributions, they then randomly selected 10% of the total number of 66 contributions. After a thorough qualitative analysis of these contributions, four main themes emerged regarding the sexual health needs of female prostate cancer survivors’ partners: finding new ways to be sexually intimate, feeling neglected in terms of sexual needs, seeing survival as more important than sex. and experiencing problems in relationships.

Topic 1: Expanding the sexual repertoire

Many partners in this discussion forum have highlighted how they have found new ways to enjoy intimacy with their partners after prostate cancer.

“We are now 4 years post diagnosis and treatment and have a great sex life. I’d say it’s even better than before cancer. The reason is that we learned a lot more ways to be intimate and connected as we worked our way back to intercourse.”

Theme 2: Intimacy and sexuality needs overlooked

Other partners felt “invisible” or overlooked when it came to their sexual needs.

“His idea is that we’ll be brother and sister, I guess. I am extremely sad about all of this and would like to try to have some sex life again. That doesn’t seem to happen when he’s set in that mind set.”

Topic 3: Survival > Sex

Several partners considered sex to be relatively unimportant in the context of survival.

“He’s not only my husband of 14 years, but my best friend, so who am I to worry about sex when ADT [androgen deprivation therapy] … has been shown to give him/us more time?”

Topic 4: Relationship concerns

However, many partners have expressed sadness and concern about the stress that sexual dysfunction has placed on their relationships.