Breaking the Silence

Breaking the Silence on Cancer and Sexuality: A Handbook for Health Care Providers was published in 2007 by the Oncology Nursing Society.

This book, the first of its kind, was written for health care providers of all kinds – nurses, oncologists, social workers, physiotherapists – to help them get the conversation started with their cancer patients.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part sets the stage by explaining how human beings are sexual, including the anatomy and physiology of sexual functioning. It also gives valuable information about how to conduct a sexual health assessment, something that is not taught at colleges or schools of nursing.

Breaking the Silence has won publishing awards and continues to provide evidence-based information for the reader. It remains the only text that covers the topic of cancer and sexuality in a comprehensive and yet accessible style with case studies and examples of assessment techniques.