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<\/p>\nHombr\u20ac: If you’re the type who likes to lick\ud83d\udc45 the pot, you should know…See more<\/p>\n
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\u201cI am not able to sustain an intimate relationship\u201d. At a certain point in her life, Yenny Pinz\u00f3n Cubillos made that confession to the romantic partner she had, and the reason was not exactly a lack of love: \u201cI can’t stand the discomfort\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Yenny, 54, was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and underwent chemotherapy treatment<\/strong>. The process, which involves the use of powerful drugs that destroy cancer cells, was necessary to confront the disease, but had life-changing side effects.<\/p>\n She’s not the only one. In Colombia, thousands of people live with cancer. According to the High Cost Account, as of October 31, 2025, 782,868 cases of cancer were documented in the health system in the country.\u00a0<\/span>Many of the patients were diagnosed with breast, prostate, colon and rectal cancer, and received their respective treatments<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Although each case is different, side effects usually appear in many patients. Among the best known is, for example, hair loss, which occurs in some people who undergo several chemotherapy sessions. They may also experience fatigue, anemia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight changes, incontinence, among many other symptoms, according to the American Cancer Society.<\/span><\/p>\n But, in addition to all those adverse reactions, there are two key aspects in people’s lives as well<\/span>\u00a0they are affected by treatments against the disease: sexuality, understood as intimacy, and sexual health<\/span><\/strong>. This is how he explained it to\u00a0<\/span>Infobae Colombia<\/span><\/em>\u00a0the doctor and surgeon Alexandra Caballero Guzm\u00e1n, master in sexual and reproductive health and professor of Oncosexology and Sexology of Palliative Care at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogot\u00e1.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the expert, some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, generate suppression of sex hormones in certain patients, who experience uncomfortable and painful symptoms of which they are not always informed.<\/span><\/p>\n The decrease in these hormones in women \u201ctranslates into something that would be like menopause (…).\u00a0<\/span>I can have chemotherapy treatments from the age of 14. Therefore, I can be in induced menopause from a very early age<\/span><\/strong>. And they usually don’t explain that to patients\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n This is evident in the disappearance of menstruation, emotional changes, psychological problems and decreased sexual desire, something that some men with cancer also face, in addition to erectile dysfunctions.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, both men and women can suffer from \u201cmucositis\u201d, that is,\u00a0<\/span>inflammation, ulceration and redness of the areas of the body where there is mucosa<\/span><\/strong>. In dialogue with<\/span>\u00a0Infobae Colombia<\/span><\/em>, Yenny Pinz\u00f3n detailed what it is about, based on her own experience.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese mucous membranes become terribly delicate because they suffer from drying out due to treatment and this drying out\u00a0<\/span>it leads to bleeding, pain, burning, fissures opening in those mucous membranes<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0(…) My eyes dried and bled. He dried his nose; I was bleeding. I also got blisters in my mouth\u201d, he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n According to surgeon Caballero, genitourinary syndrome of menopause can also appear in women, a set of symptoms that cause \u201catrophy\u201d and vaginal dryness.<\/span><\/p>\n Both the syndrome and mucositis cause discomfort in patients. There is a feeling of discomfort \u201ceven when wearing underwear\u201d, which means that intimacy is also usually ruled out. \u201cHaving sex becomes very difficult because it hurts, it burns, and you really don’t want to anymore because, well, you feel a lot of pain (…).<\/span>\u00a0You can’t even touch yourself, because that burns you, it hurts you<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, Yenny specified.<\/span><\/p>\n Intimacy was suspended for a time with a partner he had at the time. They talked about it and even showed him how his body was, in order to show why having sex was no longer an option.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI told him, I also showed him, I told him: \u2018Look how I am\u2019. I mean,\u00a0<\/span>I am not able to sustain an intimate relationship because I cannot stand the discomfort<\/span><\/strong>. That situation is an impressive pain and annoyance\u201d, he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, according to the recommendations she received from the health personnel who treated her, it was best to avoid being intimate during chemotherapy. The mucous membranes of the body cannot come into contact with another body, because \u201cthey give the person the same effects as if they were undergoing chemotherapy\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n His parents also had a cancer diagnosis and all three took on the disease at virtually the same time. So,\u00a0<\/span>as Yenny experienced the symptoms of this condition, she noticed how her mom and dad were going through similar situations<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n In his case, sex also disappeared; His father experienced very painful effects that deteriorated his quality of life and intimacy. \u201cHe could no longer have sex with my mother because his penis became inflamed. It was such an impressive thing (…)<\/span>\u00a0It was as if the tip of his penis was going to burst (…), cracks were opening<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, detailed.<\/span><\/p>\n The diagnosis of cancer, by itself, can already affect relationships, and the effects derived from treatments usually worsen the situation. According to Yenny, on many occasions, courtships or marriages end because of that.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDuring the chemotherapy days I saw that many husbands abandoned wives in their treatment. They left them; They were leaving the house, they were going to chemotherapy and, when they returned, they were no longer there\u201d, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Diana Laverde, a 47-year-old woman, went through similar experiences. At the time, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and underwent surgery to treat it.\u00a0<\/span>Subsequently, ovarian cancer was detected; She had an ovarian removal and is currently receiving chemotherapy<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Among the side effects that she has faced from these procedures are hormonal changes, which advanced the symptoms of menopause. He lives with hot flashes that, in addition to impacting his daily life, make life as a couple difficult. \u201cRight now I don’t have a partner; I sleep alone and say: \u2018No one would tolerate me\u2019, because I get hot and cold\u201d, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, due to the surgeries he had, his body also changed. He claims that he has one \u201cbelly\u201d that was left \u201ccompletely on the outside\u201d, which has affected his confidence and comfort when having sexual relations with someone. \u201cIt’s very ugly.\u00a0<\/span>Physically, I look in the mirror and it makes me sad; It makes me sad to show my body<\/span><\/strong>. Until you can accept yourself comfortably, then you think less about intimacy\u201d, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, he experienced mucositis in his mouth and perineum, a layer of skin between the vaginal opening or scrotum (in men) and the anus. \u201cI didn’t know they were going to give me pimples\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The information she received from her oncologist and the health personnel at the oncology center who treated her focused on some effects of chemotherapy, such as dryness of the skin and other parts of the body, but was not clearly told how prevent or manage those symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n Only until he came to a consultation to explain what he was experiencing did he receive guidance on the matter.\u00a0<\/span>Then, they prescribed a cream to heal the lesions and do mouthwashes and baths with baking soda.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n However, according to the study \u201cPrevention and treatment of oral mucositis: the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate against other agents: a systematic review\u201d, published in the National Library of Medicine of the National Institute of Health (NIH) of the United States, There is no evidence to support the use of sodium bicarbonate for the management and prevention of oral mucositis, specifically.<\/span><\/p>\n The patient stated that she had experienced some improvement, although she explained that the use of baking soda is complex because, especially in the vaginal area, it can increase dryness.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, in terms of sexual health,\u00a0<\/span>health personnel indicated that certain cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, generate immunosuppression, that is, a weakening of the immune system<\/span><\/strong>. For this reason, he recommended avoiding risk scenarios that facilitate the spread of bacterial and fungal infections. That includes sexual relations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>You have to be careful with sex. One can bleed in spurts<\/span><\/strong>. So, you have to be careful in privacy, because sometimes this contact lacerates you and you bleed. It is a very sensitive area\u201d, he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n Yenny also received half-baked information about everything she would change in her body due to cancer treatment. She was treated by her EPS and at an oncology center where she had training focused, among other things, on the need to increase defenses and alterations in the mucous membranes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>But they never referred to the genital part and they never touched on the intimacy part<\/span><\/strong>. When everything started to happen to me, I said: \u2018But what is this?\u2019\u201d, he confessed.<\/span><\/p>\n So, he sought outside help. She consulted with an association of women with breast cancer and with the Colombian League Against Cancer, where she received guidance focused on the symptoms she was experiencing, derived from the treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n They prescribed natural lubricants and suppositories to hydrate and regenerate the mucosa. Something completely different from what a gynecologist with whom he consulted about his situation recommended; He sent him conventional lubricants.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCommercial lubricants have parabens.\u00a0<\/span>Paraben stimulates the hormonal part and, in my case, which is a hormonal cancer, it triggers my cancer cells at once<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, indicated.<\/span><\/p>\n With the right products, he lasted almost a year and a half in treatment to recover the mucosa. \u201cIt cost me; It cost me tears, it cost me time, money\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The doctor who is an expert in oncosexology assures that, in this type of case, women should use a daily moisturizer and a lubricant to avoid injuries to the mucosa, since these wounds can appear with the use of underwear or with activities such as walking, jogging or cycling.<\/span><\/p>\n For sexual activities,<\/span>\u00a0what is indicated is that the mucosa is hydrated and flexible, for which a lubricant that does not have parabens, menthols or alcohols is needed<\/span><\/strong>. Special lubricants are required for cancer patients.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, it is recommended that they go through a rehabilitation phase, which involves pelvic treatment and follow-up consultations for both men and women.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Dr. Alexandra Caballero, people with cancer must be duly informed about the reality they are going to assume with their treatments, going beyond the results they hope to achieve. It is not only about the limitations that may arise in terms of sexuality and life as a couple; There are key facts related to sexual health that should not be overlooked, but are often not addressed in consultations.<\/span><\/p>\n Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, bone marrow transplant and other treatments available to cancer patients impact fertility and their immune system<\/span><\/strong>. Therefore, it is crucial that patients have preventive guidance, something that, as he explained, does not always happen in Colombia. \u201cNormally, that is not told to patients\u201d, said doctor Alexandra.<\/span><\/p>\n On the one hand, information is provided on taking measures to avoid pregnancy during treatments. \u201cPatients who are undergoing oncological processes and are going to begin this type of treatment must have advice to prevent pregnancies during treatment, because it can lead to fetal malformations\u201d, he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n Likewise, you should ask if patients are interested in becoming parents, because there are fertility preservation services that they can access before starting treatments for the disease. According to Caballero,\u00a0<\/span>a large number of people in Colombia who are of reproductive age have been diagnosed with cancer, which is why it is essential to investigate their interests in the matter<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, all people living with this disease should receive information to prevent sexually transmitted infections, because, given the drop in defenses, they are more susceptible to acquiring viral infections such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), \u2013some types can cause cancer\u2013 herpes and some bacteria. This can complicate your cancer condition.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Patients must be clear about what type of impact on their sexual health the different types of treatments will cause<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, he pointed.<\/span><\/p>\n However, in Colombia, the health system lacks a specific care route to address the sexual and reproductive health problems of people with cancer. According to Caballero, there is the Comprehensive Health Care Route for Cancer (2018), but the issue of sexual health needs to be properly integrated.<\/span><\/p>\n Cancer patients generally turn to associations that serve people with cancer to find answers.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Although everyone recognizes that they are very important, in the end they are considered accessory or secondary or tertiary<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0(…) In the midst of the entire oncological process, this is a minor issue. And there is still a taboo about this type of activities (sexual life)\u201d, he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n For women, the approach is much more complex, because oncologists do not usually have training in sexuality, and gynecologists do not always have specialized knowledge in oncology. Interdisciplinary management is required.<\/span><\/p>\n In the case of men, according to the expert, \u201cthey have more help\u201d because they are treated by urologists who \u201cmanage erectile dysfunction extremely well\u201d<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013which is treated with medications, injections, and devices that help oxygenate the corpora cavernosa\u2013 and other symptoms. However, they must also have health care that does not ignore their cancer diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n As explained to\u00a0<\/span>Infobae Colombia<\/span><\/em>\u00a0psycho-oncologist Mayra Alejandra Vaca, who has more than 10 years of experience in supporting cancer patients and their families, all the effects of cancer and treatments not only generate physical changes; They affect people’s mood, causing stress, fear, anxiety, shame, guilt, sadness, among others.<\/span><\/p>\n This combination also impacts the sexual desire of patients, who, like any other person,\u00a0<\/span>they need security, connection, and a sense of general well-being to have sexual desire and experience truly pleasurable sexual encounters<\/span><\/strong>. The shock is such that people living with the disease report having lost their sexual identity.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn breast cancer treatments, it is very common for decreased desire to occur (…) There is fear of not being able to connect with your partner again or of not liking them or of not feeling that trust so that the partner can see them\u201d, explained the expert.<\/span><\/p>\n People who experience weight changes due to illness or treatment, or who undergo mastectomies (surgical removal of one or both breasts), ostomies (surgical opening in the abdominal wall to allow waste removal), also experience difficulties living their sexuality.<\/span><\/p>\n Added to this is the loss of hair, nails and skin, according to Yenny Pinz\u00f3n. \u201cThey also cause a disconnection in the sexual part\u201d<\/span><\/strong>, detailed the psycho-oncologist.<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, in addition to having professional support from oncology and sexology, cancer patients need psychological support that focuses on how to accept the reality of the disease and its consequences, as well as the emotional challenges that couples experience, in certain cases.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Help them establish new forms of intimacy, not only penetrating, but exploring, for example, caresses, hugs or other types of bonds<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, the expert specified.<\/span><\/p>\n Psychoeducation, aimed at explaining the stage they are going through and the symptoms they are experiencing, is crucial to reducing the stress they feel. \u201cMany times doctors have not explained very well all those effects it has on sexuality and there is a lot of uncertainty, a lot of doubt. Many times they ask themselves: \u2018Could it be, is it me? What is happening to me?\u2019\u201d, he indicated.<\/span><\/p>\n And we cannot leave out the fact that, in many cases, couples become the caregivers of patients, which can imply an emotional shock due to the change of roles and an overload, due to the number of activities that must assume.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Many times the couple begins to have difficulties precisely because there is no differentiation between being a caregiver and continuing to be a couple<\/span><\/strong>\u201d, he explained, specifying that this situation exacerbates pre-existing problems in couples.<\/span><\/p>\n Hence the importance of having psychological support, in which the work, academic, couple, family and sexual aspects are evaluated, since they are vital areas of the human being.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hombr\u20ac: If you’re the type who likes to lick\ud83d\udc45 the pot, you should know…See more Sex, sexual health and cancer, a reality of cancer patients that is little talked … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17471,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSexual relations: this is how treatments impact intimacy<\/span><\/h2>\n
Sexual health and self-perception: \u201cI look in the mirror and it makes me sad\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
How is it approached from medicine?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Much more than privacy: key information for patients<\/span><\/h2>\n
Psychological support: an approach that should not be overlooked<\/span><\/h2>\n