Incorporating the topics of Intimacy and Sexuality into Cancer Support Services
In this context, a gradual shift has taken place towards increasing consideration of the longer term consequences of cancer treatments. Amongst these, the sexual side effects of cancer treatments are amongst the longest lasting if left untreated. Approximately 50% of women recovering from breast cancer are reporting sexual difficulties as a direct consequence of their cancer treatments. These staggering numbers pose a difficult challenge to an already overstreched NHS and other health care systems world-wide in the midst of an economic crisis.
This presentation will explore the specific needs, issues and wishes of the breast cancer population and provide an overview of current service provision models, their advantages and disadvantages. Clinical results and reflections from a sexual rehabilitation service for cancer patients are discussed. Real service models at the present time rely on the willingness of individual practitioners to look beyond their own specialism and promote true MDT working often across traditional boundaries of disciplines, location and individual organisation.
