The oncology community feels similarly about this in general. It appears that the first issue concerning sexual dysfunction was vaginal dryness. Few remedies are effective for this condition in breast cancer patients since hormone replacement is considered taboo. Most patients and nearly all physicians are reluctant to use hormonal replacement therapy after breast cancer diagnosis since it is often felt that the hormones are responsible for the development of the cancer itself. Further use may stimulate or re-activate the cancer.
Some patients do, indeed, use topical hormones temporarily.
And 3.85 percent of women who were inactive at the time of breast cancer diagnosis were active at the time of survey. They feel that women for whom active sex life is important will likely be maintained. It is felt that this is similar to other studies of healthy women. Ongoing studies will tell us more about sexual function and its improvement in breast cancer patients.