Sex and Cancer: Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is used to treat cancers that use hormones to grow such as breast, ovarian, womb or prostate cancer. You might hear someone refer to this as the cancer being hormone sensitive or hormone dependent.

Hormone therapy is used to slow or stop the growth of the cancer. It does this by blocking the body’s ability to produce hormones or interferes with how hormones work.

Hormone therapy can cause unwanted side effects which can vary from drug to drug and may affect people differently. This can include a loss of interest in, or ability to have, sex. 

Other common side effects that may have an impact on a person’s desire or ability to have sex are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, tender breasts, menopausal symptoms, feeling tired, mood changes, weight gain, joint pains and hair thinning. Many of these side effects will settle down after a few weeks but you can speak to your clinical team if you have any questions.

Hormonal therapy can cause vaginal dryness and itching. Non-hormonal creams, gels or lubricants may help to manage this side effect. You can ask your clinical team or GP to prescribe them to you or alternatively you can buy them from a chemist.

Hormone therapies can lower the amount of testosterone in the body which affects the ability to have and maintain an erection. This can depend on the specific drug and how long it is being used for. Erectile dysfunction may improve after the treatment finishes.