Thousands of people with cancer in London 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.

Dad of four, 54-year-old Sean Baker from Croydon was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 just before he turned 50. Now in remission. Sean is passionate about encouraging others affected by cancer to have open conversations about the impact of their diagnosis.
“After I had finished treatment, I was, of course, so happy to be alive, but I was really worried about how my diagnosis would impact my sex life. I knew that the treatment I had may cause erectile dysfunction, but when the first two prescriptions from my doctor didn’t help at all, I started to feel incredibly anxious.
“I kept the conversation around sex really open with my doctor and that was so helpful for me as it meant we tried another dose of medicine, which worked wonders! A few months down the line and the erectile dysfunction was a lot better. Fair to say that that definitely boosted my mood!”

New figures released today by Macmillan Cancer Support found that one in five (21 per cent) of people with cancer in London – equivalent to around 55,600 people – have serious concerns about sex, loss of libido or fertility as a result of their diagnosis or treatment[i].

Among all people with cancer in London, one in four are struggling with the physical effects of treatment on their ability to be intimate (23 per cent), one in eight (12 per cent) feel less confident about themselves, and one in ten (10 per cent) are concerned about their appearance or desirability[ii]. 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 London trying to manage these issues themselves[iii].

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 London (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[iv].

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 the UK’s leading sexual wellness brand, Lovehoney.

The partnership – a first of its kind for both organisations – 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.

Tracey Palmer, Macmillan Information and Support Manager at Whittington Health NHS Trust, 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.”

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.”