If you have had sexual contact, your partner may also need treatment. Provided you are not affected by any of these vaginal side effects, and some women are not, then penetrative sex is perfectly safe during radiotherapy. It may be advisable to use some form of contraception, and your doctor can advise you on the best method for your situation. Many men say they have erection difficulties after cancer surgery but the surgery may not be the only factor. Studies have found that men commonly say they have sexual problems after operations that have nothing at all to do with their genital area.
Some men find that they can recover full erections with time.
Many couples don't realise that a half-erect penis can still be effective for making love. The positioning for this is better with the partner on top guiding the penis inside. If you have had an operation that has damaged your erection-producing nerves, this need not be the end of your sexual activity. You do not need to have a hard penis to give your partner pleasure. You may find it helpful to increase your range of sexual activity to include oral sex, mutual touching, increased masturbation, or a vibrator to help your arousal or that of your partner.