The short answer
Cancer treatment can affect a woman's sexual health — for example, causing vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex, or lower interest. Many changes are temporary, while others last longer. Products, exercises, and support can help make sex more comfortable, and a care team can explain the options.
Cancer treatment can cause vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex, or lower interest in sex.
Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and pelvic radiation can lower estrogen and affect vaginal tissue.
Surgery such as a mastectomy or ostomy can change how a woman feels about her body.
Some pain and depression medicines can lower interest in sex.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
The simple version
Women being treated for cancer may notice changes that affect their sexual life — during treatment and sometimes after. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), you may not have the same energy or interest in sex that you had before, but feeling close to and being intimate with a partner often stays important. Some changes are temporary and improve once treatment ends; others may be long term or may start after treatment.
Whether your sexual health is affected depends on the type of cancer and treatment, the dose and length of treatment, your age, the time since treatment, and other health factors.
How treatments can affect sexual health
NCI describes several ways treatment can affect a woman's sexual health:
- Chemotherapy can lower estrogen and cause primary ovarian insufficiency. This can bring hot flashes, irregular or no periods, and vaginal dryness that can make sex difficult or painful. It can also affect vaginal tissue.
- Hormone therapy can lower estrogen, leading to hot flashes, irregular or no periods, and vaginal dryness.
- Radiation therapy to the pelvis can lower estrogen and cause vaginal dryness. It can also cause vaginal narrowing (stenosis), thinning (atrophy), and itching or burning that cause discomfort during sex.
- Surgery for gynecologic cancers can affect sexual life, and surgery such as a mastectomy or ostomy can change how you feel about your body.
- Medicines such as opioids and some depression medicines can lower interest in sex.
Ways to manage sexual health issues
Most women can be sexually active during treatment, but NCI advises confirming this with your doctor. At times when the risk of infection or bleeding is higher, you may be advised to avoid sexual intercourse.
Your care team can help you learn about medicine and exercises to make sex more comfortable, such as:
- vaginal gels or creams for dryness, itching, or burning
- vaginal lubricants or moisturizers
- vaginal estrogen cream, which may suit some types of cancer
- a dilator to help prevent or reverse scarring after radiation
- exercises for the pelvic muscles to lower pain and improve blood flow
Your team can also help you manage related side effects such as pain, fatigue, and low mood, learn what protection or contraception is advised, and find professionally led support groups and counseling. Sharing your concerns with people you trust can help too. Your care team is the best guide to what your treatment may mean and what can help.
Words to know
Tap any term to see what it means.
Common questions
▸Why does cancer treatment cause vaginal dryness?
Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation to the pelvis can lower estrogen levels, which can cause vaginal dryness. Pelvic radiation can also affect vaginal tissue, causing narrowing, thinning, or irritation that makes sex uncomfortable.
▸What can help with painful or uncomfortable sex?
NCI notes options such as vaginal gels or creams, lubricants or moisturizers, vaginal estrogen cream that may suit some cancers, a dilator to help with scarring, and pelvic muscle exercises. A care team can advise what is right for you.
▸Can I be sexually active during treatment?
Most women can be sexually active during treatment, but you should confirm this with your doctor. At times when the risk of infection or bleeding is higher, you may be advised to avoid sexual intercourse.
▸Do I need protection during treatment?
Condoms may be advised because some treatments can remain in vaginal secretions for a time. If you are of childbearing age, contraception may be advised during and for a period after treatment. Ask your care team what is recommended.
▸How can I cope with body-image changes?
Surgery such as a mastectomy or ostomy can change how you feel about your body. Your care team can help you know what to expect and how to adjust, and support groups and counseling can help.
Questions to ask your doctor
Being prepared helps you get the most out of your appointments. Save or print these questions.
Tap a question to save it to your list (kept on this device).
Test your knowledge
0 of 4 answered
This quiz checks understanding of educational content only. It is not medical advice. Open this quiz on its own page.
How this page was created
Cancer Explained uses AI to organize and translate information from the authoritative sources cited on each page. Automated checks review claims, citations, clarity, duplication, and potential safety concerns before publication. Our content is not currently reviewed by physicians unless a specific qualified reviewer is named on the page. Cancer Explained provides general education and should not replace advice from your healthcare team.
Editorial status: Source verified — This page was created with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed on it. Source checking is not a medical review.
Human medical review: not completed. At this time, most Cancer Explained content has not been reviewed by a physician or other healthcare professional. Pages with documented human medical review identify the reviewer, credentials, and review date directly.
Read more about our editorial process, our use of AI, and our corrections policy.
Spotted a problem? Report an error — a factual mistake, broken or outdated source, confusing wording, or anything that seems unsafe. Please do not include names, medical record numbers, dates of birth, addresses, or other identifying medical information in your report.
After using this page, do you understand what to do next?
Anonymous — we only record the answer, never who gave it.