I'm a male having 6 rounds of chemo (R-CVP) for lymphoma. We've been told that we need to use a condom for sex to protect against chemo 'injuring' my wife. How long after treatment are the effects likely to cause damage? When does it wear off and can be deemed safe?
Hi Geordie613
Welcome to our online community and thanks for posting your question. My name is Helen and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.
Talking about sex and cancer as well as cancer and relationships or how you cope with your feelings is really important. Hopefully, this information should help.
If you have sex in the first few days after treatment, your cancer team will usually advise using condoms or a dental dam to protect your partner. This is because it is possible that small amounts of chemotherapy may be passed on through vaginal fluids or semen during treatment.
It is also important your wife doesn’t get pregnant whilst you are having this treatment, and for some time afterwards, as R-CVP can harm a developing baby.
As R-CVP contains the drug Rituximab it is advisable to continue to use contraception for 12 months after treatment had finished.
I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.
The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Best wishes, Helen
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
Ref HK / SS
Dear Geordie613
My name is Liz and I’m a Cancer Information Nurse Specialist on the Macmillan Support Line.
Thank you for reaching out for further information about how long after chemotherapy should a condom be worn during sex.
As Macmillan is not part of the NHS, we don’t have access to your medical notes. For this reason, your treatment team are better placed to answer specific questions about when it is safe to have sex without wearing a condom.
However, Cancer Research UK state “Generally, doctors advise a barrier method for the time a person is actually having the treatment. And a barrier method for about a week after treatment.”
Likewise, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center state “We recommend using a barrier device (condom or dental dam) during treatment and for a week after each treatment during oral, vaginal, or anal sex to prevent your partner from being exposed to any medication that may be in your bodily fluids.”
I hope this information has been useful, please contact us whenever we can help.
Take care.
Liz
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. Ref LZD/ LM
Hi Geords24 ,
My name is Amy, and I am one of the Helen and Liz’s colleagues on the Macmillan Support Line. Thanks for getting back in touch to clarify what ‘during treatment’ means.
The links Liz sent you from Cancer Research UK and Memorial Sloan and Kettering Cancer Centre both recommend using a barrier device for about a week after each treatment.
Each treatment would be equivalent to a ‘cycle’. This means the day you have chemotherapy and the week following that. This would be the case for each of the 3 week cycles/ treatments you have.
It might be helpful to speak to your treatment team or the staff at the chemotherapy unit you are having treatment if you are still unclear about timing and safety of having unprotected sexual intercourse with your wife.
We often find we can help more by exploring these questions over the phone. If this is something you think would help, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch via our support line on 0808 808 0000. We are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Amy C, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
Ref: AC/CF
