Medicine gives physicians ways to see the invisible through X-rays, CAT scans and microscopes. But how can physicians see the “unvisible”—the uncomfortable topics that patients might need to discuss? One physician recently shared how physicians can uncover the details.
Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, director of the University of Chicago Medicine’s program in integrative sexual medicine, discussed her work to help identify, treat and prevent sexual health problems in female cancer patients at the AMA’s recent Inspirations in Medicine event.
One of Dr. Lindau’s female patients, Mrs. Jones, who had been a widow for years, had endometrial cancer. After Mrs. Jones’ family left for the day, she shared a secret with Dr. Lindau: She had a male companion that her children didn’t know about, and the patient feared her condition would worsen and her companion wouldn’t get the news.
“Here she is at a critical moment in her life, and she couldn’t even share with her family …. She couldn’t share the relationship, nor could she gain the full benefit of that relationship,” Dr. Lindau said.
Dr. Lindau explained how oncologists need to treat cancer, and other specialists need to focus on the patient’s illness that relates to that specialty, but it’s also important to understand other issues plaguing patients, including their sexual health. That should not be limited to the clinical aspect of sexual health but include how sexuality relates to health, such as how important Mrs. Jones’ partner was at this critical moment in her life, or how cancer treatment might affect a patient’s sex life.
Physicians can “address the issue of sexuality, and give women information so they can know if they experience a problem, and it’s not just in their heads,” Dr. Lindau said. “Patients [need to] know they’re not alone if they experience these symptoms.”
Get inspired: Watch this Inspirations in Medicine video and others on the AMA’s YouTube channel.
