Helping survivors restore their sex lives.

• Position: Cancer - Post-cancer treatment women - Brief Article

Feminine cancers--which involve the endometrium, ovaries, and cervix--are ranked fourth in prevalence among women (after breast, colon, and lung cancers). Although many of today's treatments--hysterectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy--can effectively treat these diseases, they often can cause uncomfortable side effects that can affect a woman's self-esteem and sense of femininity, indicates Pat Love, author of The Truth About Love and an advisor to the Vagisil Women's Health Center.

More than 12,000,000 women in the U.S. have had hysterectomies and/or their ovaries removed, often to treat disorders of the reproductive system, including cancer. When the uterus is removed, a woman no longer menstruates. Surgery may include the removal of diseased ovaries, eliminating the source of estrogen and inducing menopause. This may cause hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and discomfort, and painful intercourse. For some patients, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be recommended right after surgery and may help to eliminate those side effects. However, for most women, HRT may not be appropriate. For them, a nonhormonal moisturizer can provide relief for vaginal dryness and discomfort.

"After undergoing a hysterectomy, many women fear losing their femininity, or their so-called `feminine mystique,'" says Love. "Part of regaining that normal, feminine feeling can come from regular use of a feminine moisturizer that replaces moisture lost due to the absence of estrogen."

More than 14,000,000 women in the U.S. have undergone chemotherapy...