Sexual health
For people with cancer and their partners
Many people with cancer will have changes to their sexual health. Your sexual health may be affected by:
- the type of cancer you have
- your cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery)
- symptoms and side effects from cancer and cancer treatments
- how you feel about yourself
It is important to talk to your health-care team about your sexual health. Your health-care team can help you manage your sexual health. Let them know if you have any questions or concerns.
We can also help you find information and support from trusted resources.
Where to find more information and support
Patient and Family Support Program (Odette Cancer Centre)
Patient and Family Education Program (Odette Cancer Centre)
Sex, Intimacy and Cancer (Canadian Cancer Society)
Sexual Health and Intimacy (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)
How Cancer Affects Your Self-Image and Sexuality (National Cancer Institute)
How Cancer and Cancer Treatment Can Affect Sexuality (American Cancer Society)
Cancer and your sex life (Macmillan Cancer Support)
Sexuality and intimacy (Cancer Council)
Sexuality – Breaking the Silence (Canadian Virtual Hospice)
Managing Symptoms, Side Effects & Well-Being – Sexual Health (Cancer Care Ontario/Ontario Health)
Your Health Matters: Sex and intimacy after cancer (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)
Your Body Image: Changing How You Think, Not How You Look (Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre)
Programs and Services (Wellspring Cancer Support)
Additional information
Managing Symptoms, Side Effects & Well-Being (Cancer Care Ontario/Ontario Health)
Fertility and cancer: what you need to know (Odette Cancer Centre)
Find a Sex Therapist (Association of Sex Therapy in Ontario)
While this information may be useful, it is intended for educational purposes only. Please continue to ask your health-care team if you have questions or concerns. For any other inquiries, please contact us at patienteducation@sunnybrook.ca.
