“ Drs. Michael Krychman, Susan Kellogg Spadt, and Sandra Finestone have brought together their collective wisdom and expertise to write an outstanding book about sexual and relational well-being for breast cancer survivors and their loved ones. They provide practical tips and accessible resources for maintaining sexual wellness throughout treatment and beyond. This comprehensive and compassionate guide is a ‘must read’ for breast cancer survivors, their partners, and the healthcare professionals who treat them.”
Sabitha Pillai-Friedman, PhD, LCSW, CST
Couple Therapist and AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist
Director of Supervisors, Jefferson/Council for Relationships
Couple and Family Therapy Program
“ A breast cancer diagnosis can unravel your world. Maintaining or regaining intimacy and your sexuality after the treatment of cancer should not be a chore. 100 Questions & Answers About Breast Cancer Sensuality, Sexuality, and Intimacy is the resource every woman needs to not just survive the treatment of her cancer but to thrive in her interpersonal relationships. This is a ‘must read’ for every woman diagnosed with breast cancer and her doctors!”
Beth Baughman DuPree, MD, FACS
Chairman of the American Society of Breast Surgeons Board of Advocates
Author of The Healing Consciousness: A Doctor’s Journey to Healing
“ In just 100 answers, the authors of this book address many of the issues facing women with breast cancer. From decisions about surgery to hormones and sex toys, the authors address the many questions that these women have thought—or may need to think about.”
Anne Katz, RN, PhD
Author of Breaking the Silence on Cancer and
Sexuality and Women Cancer Sex
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Cancer Care Manitoba
“ Dr. Michael Krychman and his colleagues have done it again with another great book addressing key questions and answers about life after breast cancer. Many doctors often don’t have the time or the expertise to discuss sexuality, intimacy, and relationships after treatment of breast cancer. Michael Krychman, Susan Kellogg Spadt, and Sandy Finestone understand that sexuality after breast cancer is important and needs to be addressed. This fabulous book provides clear, easy-to-understand solutions for the reader who is often too embarrassed to raise these concerns with their own doctor. It is an excellent book not only for patients but also doctors and nurses who care for women after treatment of breast cancer.”
John Boyages, MD
Director, Westmead Breast Cancer Institute
Sydney Australia
Author of Breast Cancer: Taking Control
www.breastcancertakingcontrol.com
“ This is a book filled with wisdom, compassion, and wise counsel from a phenomenal team of authors. I believe that every woman with breast cancer and her partner who reads this book will find hope and useful advice.”
Dr. Stephanie Buehler
Psychologist and Sex Therapist
Director, The Buehler Institute
“ This book is reminiscent of the necessary supportive companion through any woman’s struggle and journey with breast cancer. By answering 100 of the most common sexual health-related questions encountered by healthcare providers working with cancer survivors, Dr. Krychman, Dr. Kellogg Spadt, and Ms. Finestone offer one of the most comprehensive and accessible guides to understanding, learning, and growing from sexual struggles that women with breast cancer experience. This book is equally valuable to the healthcare provider with its evidence-based suggestions and rich clinical examples.”
Dr. Lori Brotto, PhD, R Psych
Assistant Professor
University of British Columbia
“ Breast cancer (BC), today, is more of a chronic than a fatal disease for the majority of affected women. This makes the quality of life of BC survivors a critical and yet neglected issue, when sexuality and intimacy are concerned. Indeed, many studies indicate that couples’ emotional intimacy may be reinforced by the sharing of solidarity the couple has when facing BC diagnosis and treatment, while physical intimacy and physical satisfaction appear to be definitely worsened, mostly because of biological factors usually overlooked in the clinical management of breast cancer patients.
Women are left alone, sexuality being a persistent taboo among oncologic professionals, with a few exceptions. Think of it. The underlying message is just one: be happy that you are alive. This cannot be accepted anymore.
Being back to a meaningful and fulfilling life, after a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic time, means that the happiness of a sexually happy body cannot be neglected anymore as a marginal issue. Michael Krychman, Susan Kellogg Spadt, and Sandy Finestones’ book is, therefore, timely and much needed; it goes to the heart of what intimacy and sexuality mean in real life for BC survivors and their partners.
It will certainly be precious for women. My heartfelt wish is that it will be read and meditated upon by all healthcare professionals who work with BC survivors, to break the ‘collusion of silence’ about sexuality. The woman is too scared or afraid or shy to ask, the professional too busy to think of it. And yet, it is very difficult to provide an effective intervention if there is no mention of a problem!
This is the best gift we can give to every woman who has gone through the dramatic months of breast cancer diagnosis and treatments: the beauty of feeling sensual and sexual, aroused and orgasmic, physically and emotionally happy again, with the partner she loves.”
Alessandra Graziottin, MD
Specialist in Gynecology, Oncology and Sexual Medicine
Director, Center of Gynecology and Medical Sexology
H. San Raffaele Resnati
“ With one in seven American women being affected by breast cancer, it is about time someone finally tackled the intimacy issues that plague our survivors. The authors have demystified critical, yet often unspoken, concerns of our patients. They have created a vehicle to assist women in opening discussion and with the ultimate goal of facilitating treatment for sexual concerns that, if left unaddressed, have the potential to devastate the lives that they have fought so hard to keep.”
Alison Amsterdam, MD, FACP
Assistant Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
“ 100 Questions & Answers About Breast Cancer Sensuality, Sexuality, and Intimacy is an engaging work that should not only be provided to every woman at the time of her breast cancer diagnosis, but should be a staple of every healthcare provider’s library. Dr. Krychman, Dr. Kellogg Spadt, and Ms. Finestone should be applauded for their candid approach to the issue of breast cancer’s effect on sexuality.”
Leah S. Millheiser, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology,
Director, Female Sexual Medicine Program
Stanford University Medical Center
“ Women often feel bereft of resources to help them understand and positively impact the intimate, sensual, and sexual aspects of their lives after a diagnosis of breast cancer. The authors have addressed 100 questions pondered with great frequency by women with breast cancer and offer depth and breadth in the easy-to-understand answers they provide. This very readable resource is sure to provide much that will be helpful as women look to renormalize their lives after their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.”
Barbara Rabinowitz, PhD, MSW, RN
Psychotherapist and Sex Therapist, Private Practice
Founder and Past President, National Consortium of Breast Centers
Past President, American Society of Breast Disease
Commissioner, New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research
“ 100 Questions & Answers About Breast Cancer Sensuality, Sexuality, and Intimacy is an impressive compilation of easy to navigate tips and suggestions. It is an invaluable resource for both patients and clinicians alike who are interested in maintaining overall health and wellness throughout the survivorship journey. I recommend it for all my patients.”
Laurie Bailey, MD
Medical Director
Center for Optimal Health & Wellness
Aurora Women’s Pavilion
“ Drs. Michael Krychman and Susan Kellogg Spadt provide an invaluable and inspirational resource for women who are on the journey through breast cancer diagnosis and beyond. This book is a practical guide for breast cancer survivors who are on the journey to recapturing intimacy and well-being, providing guidance for some of the most commonly asked questions that face cancer survivors.”
Arti Hurria, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Cancer and Aging Research Program
Breast Cancer Oncologist, City of Hope Cancer Center
“ In to the field of breast cancer and cancer survivorship comes a much needed resource for women and their partners. In writing 100 Questions & Answers About Breast Cancer Sensuality, Sexuality, and Intimacy, Drs. Krychman and Kellogg Spadt, alongside Ms. Finestone, have provided an educated, reasoned, and balanced resource for this community of women, one that constitutes the largest group of cancer survivors in the United States. This book is a testament to how breast cancer impacts more than just the patient. Breast cancer touches her partner, and affects, and indeed challenges, relationships. I hope that providers will see this as a resource for their own understanding on how to address and counsel patients whose partner relations have been affected by breast cancer. I applaud the authors on providing this timely resource. I am certain it will become a must-have for every survivorship center in the United States and worldwide.”
Don S. Dizon, MD
Director, Medical Oncology and Integrative Care
Director, The Center for Sexuality, Intimacy, and Fertility
The Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants’ Hospital
Assistant Professor, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
“ Dr. Krychman, Dr. Kellogg Spadt, and Ms. Finestone have successfully integrated three very different perspectives on cancer and sexual medicine, the result of which is this user-friendly book to help women traverse the sexual problems that accompany cancer. They effectively synthesize a vast amount of information about the complexities of women’s sexuality and provide a thorough review of potential problems and treatment options including psychotherapy, physical therapy, pharmacotherapy, and herbal therapy. For cancer survivors and their lovers, this book will support and guide them.”
Sheryl A. Kingsberg, PhD
Chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
University Hospitals of Cleveland Case Medical Center
Professor of Reproductive Biology and Psychiatry
Case Western Reserve University
President of The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health
“ 100 Questions & Answers About Breast Cancer Sensuality, Sexuality, and Intimacy is a must read for patients and their partners facing a breast cancer diagnosis. As an organization that hears from tens of thousands of breast cancer patients seeking information and emotional support, this book is a great tool for before, during, and after treatment. No subject is off limits and ideas and facts are clearly explained to help patients and their partners find their new ‘normal’ and even enhance intimacy and quality of life.”
The YourShoes Peer Counselors
Breast Cancer Network of Strength
“ This book provides much needed attention and information to help women re-discovering or maintain intimacy after a diagnosis of breast cancer.”
Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
“ ‘Breast cancer’ is a diagnosis that no woman wants to hear. She will worry about her doctors, her treatment decisions, side effects, disease recurrence, and yes, her very survival. But even beyond physical discomforts and survival, a breast is not simply an anatomic organ, like a colon or a thyroid. Although physicians are necessarily focused on curing or slowing malignant disease, they need to acknowledge that for many women and their partners, breasts are symbolically and even functionally important. Breasts are inextricably bound to a woman’s self image, to motherhood and nurturing, to attractiveness and sexuality . . .
Fortunately, most breast cancers today are eminently treatable and women will have many years after diagnosis to grapple with evolving issues of self image and sexuality. A new book on intimacy and sexuality after a breast cancer diagnosis by Michael Krychman, Sandra Finestone, and Susan Kellogg Spadt, is a refreshing addition to the literature. The authors help women with breast cancer and their partners—and, hopefully, the professionals who treat and care for them—face these issues frankly, with advice, with information, and always with love and hope.”
Margie Miller
Group Scientific Director, Oncology
Medscape
“ As a former oncology nurse who now practices Eastern medicine including acupuncture and herbal therapy, I am always looking for resources that can aid my breast cancer patients in taking a more active role in their healing. An area that is commonly overlooked by both patient and practitioner at the outset of cancer treatment is what effect the illness and subsequent treatment may have on sexual health and vitality. This wonderful book is a very straight forward, no-nonsense approach to this often sensitive and complicated subject. I applaud the authors, particularly Dr. Michael Krychman, for their dedication to the sexual health of women with cancer.”
Pamela Jacobson, LAc, Dipl OM
The Healing Sanctuary
“ We are comfortable talking about breast cancer today—women freely share their stories about how they were diagnosed, how they felt, what they did—with each other, in groups, even in the media. But the sensitive and private topics of intimacy and sexuality are often not comfortable topics of conversation—between patients and healthcare providers or between couples. This book will help start those conversations and serve as a guide to answers to questions that need to be discussed.”
Susan Brown,RN
Director of Education
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
“ Sexuality/intimacy and cancer diagnosis/treatment are words that are not often seen together. Each one of these words evoke various emotions in people living with a cancer diagnosis. Any discussion regarding sexuality and all its ramifications will be amazingly important to anyone past and present who has ever received that diagnosis. Having a book such as this helps educate an individual to understand feelings that are so often not discussed or pushed aside. It is a real gift.”
Sue Winn, RN
Patient Navigator