Sexual intimacy: the disruptive effects of cancer treatment

Having a diagnosis of breast cancer at a young age, together with chemotherapy and surgery, affects how women look at themselves – and sexual intimacy with partners

‘Having sex wasn’t the real issue for me – it was how I looked and felt about myself.’

When Lisa from the north of England was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 at the age of 26, a skewed sense of self worth was not the only thing she had to contend with.

‘As a woman, I didn’t feel attractive,' recalls Lisa. 'I still don’t feel wholly a woman. Although I’ve got a breast there, it doesn’t look how it should and how I’m used to seeing it.

‘I used to be a confident young girl. I lost my hair and put quite a lot of weight on because of the chemotherapy, which