We need to talk about sex…and cancer, says cancer charity

Thousands of people with cancer in the south east are ‘suffering in silence’ with concerns around sex and intimacy – facing ‘rock bottom’ self-confidence and serious worries about their sex lives or romantic relationship – a leading charity warns.

New figures released today by Macmillan Cancer Support found that one in five (22 per cent) of people with cancer in the south east– equivalent to around 84,500 people – have serious concerns about sex, loss of libido or fertility as a result of their diagnosis or treatment.

Among all people with cancer in the south east, one in five are struggling with the physical effects of treatment on their ability to be intimate (19 per cent), one in 11 (9 per cent) feel less confident about themselves, and one in 13 (8 per cent) are concerned about their appearance or desirability. For some, it's concerns around feeling pressure to have sex or be intimate when they don’t want to that is causing stress.

However, across the UK, only two in five (39 per cent) of those who want help with serious concerns around sex or fertility have had any support, potentially leaving thousands of people with cancer in the south east trying to manage these issues themselves.

The charity warns of the potential impact this is having on people’s wellbeing, as further data shows that more than one in 13 people with cancer in the south east (8 per cent) are worried about the negative impact of sex or fertility issues on their relationship with their partner, including feeling distanced, growing apart or feeling unsupported.

To break this cultural taboo and encourage more people to have open conversations around sex and cancer, the charity has launched a new partnership with sexual wellness brand, Lovehoney.

The partnership – a first of its kind for the cancer support charity – will shine a light on the impact cancer can have on people’s sexual wellbeing, and raise awareness of the support available, by sharing unique stories from people affected by cancer across the UK as part of a new YouTube series.

As part of the partnership, Macmillan has also launched a new sex and cancer hub on its website in the hope of encouraging more people living with cancer to talk about sex and seek the support they need.

105","classid":1073872969,"properties":[201342446,"1",201342447,"5",201342448,"1",201342449,"1",469777841,"calibri",469777842,"arial",469777843,"calibri",469777844,"calibri",201341986,"1",469769226,"calibri,arial",268442635,"22",335559704,"1025",335559705,"1033",335551547,"2057",335559740,"259",201341983,"0",335559739,"160",469775450,"eop",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"eop",335572020,"1",469778324,"default paragraph font"]">Tracey Palmer, Information and Support Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support said:

“Cancer can impact a person’s life in many ways; their relationships, their bodies, how they are feeling and more. It can touch every part of what makes someone who they are. And we know that for many, sex and intimacy following a diagnosis is a huge concern and thousands of people with cancer are suffering in silence, causing a huge amount of stress and anxiety.

“We need to start talking more about sex and the very real impact cancer can have on people’s sexual wellbeing and relationships. We know that many people find it hard to raise these issues with their partner or people close to them and that’s where we can come in. No question or conversation is too big, too small or too personal on our confidential support line or our online community. Nobody should face the impact of a cancer diagnosis alone; we are here every step of the way.”

25-year-old Jonny, from Worthing, was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer in December 2023 and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Jonny felt lucky to be able to be open about the impact his diagnosis would have on his future.

“One of the best things I’ve done is to bank some of my sperm. At 25 I’m not thinking about having a family just yet, but knowing that the option is there is so reassuring. I was told that having my testicle removed wouldn’t affect my fertility, but that the chemo I’m having now could. Being gay I always knew the path to parenthood would involve using a surrogate, so having my sperm banked already means one less thing to think about. I’m currently single, and only really thinking about getting through my diagnosis and treatment but my diagnosis has forced me to think about my fertility in a way I never had done before and I feel lucky that I have felt able to do so.”

Sarah Mulindwa, Lovehoney's sex & sexual health expert added:  

"It can take a lot for people to be entirely open about their sexual wellbeing and for those who are going through challenging times, which is the case for many people living with cancer, it can become even harder. Sexual wellbeing is an important part of a person’s overall health and that’s why we’ve teamed up with Macmillan to shatter the taboos around this topic and empower more people living with cancer to open up about sex and intimacy and get the support they need."    

To find out more about sex and cancer, and to access support visit https://www.macmillan.org.uk/lovehoney