Low Libido and Liver Cancer Treatment: What’s Common and How to Manage It

Low libido (reduced sexual desire) is fairly common during and after cancer treatment, including treatment for liver cancer. ^[1] Cancer therapies can affect sexual interest through physical side effects (fatigue, pain), hormonal changes, and emotional stress. ^[1] Feeling anxious, depressed, or less confident in your body during treatment can also lower desire and pleasure. ^[2]

Why Libido Often Declines

• Physical side effects: Fatigue, pain, weakness, hair loss, surgical changes, and medical devices can reduce desire and comfort with sex. ^[3] These treatment effects can alter how you feel about yourself and how you relate to your partner, which commonly reduces sexual interest. ^[3]
• Emotional impact: Stress, anxiety, and low mood are common during cancer care and can blunt interest in sex. ^[2]
• Hormonal and physiological changes: Some treatments can shift hormones or cause tissue changes that affect arousal and comfort, which indirectly reduces desire. ^[4] Lowered interest in sex during or after cancer care is very common across genders. ^[5]

What “Common” Looks Like

Sexual changes during cancer care are widely reported across different cancer types and treatments, and low libido is one of the most frequent concerns. ^[1] Desire may fluctuate over time, often decreasing during intensive treatment and gradually improving afterward, but patterns vary by individual and therapy. ^[1]

Practical Management Strategies

• Prioritize symptom control: Managing fatigue, pain, and other side effects often improves desire and enjoyment. ^[1]
• Communicate with your care team: Health professionals can suggest tailored solutions, but they may not raise sexual topics unless you do. ^[6] Asking about expected sexual side effects, duration, and available treatments can open helpful options. ^[7]
• Address emotional health: Treating anxiety or depression (with counseling or medication when appropriate) can restore interest and pleasure. ^[2]
• Optimize arousal: In men, addressing erection difficulties and energy levels can improve sexual function; in women, treating vaginal dryness and discomfort can boost desire and satisfaction. ^[1] Improving vaginal comfort often increases desire and arousal. ^[8]
• Gradual intimacy: Focus first on non‑sexual closeness (touch, cuddling, sharing time) and rebuild sexual activity at a pace that feels safe. ^[2]
• Consider specialized care: Sexual health programs for people undergoing or recovering from cancer provide expert support for physical and psychological concerns. ^[9] Dedicated survivorship services can help with intimacy, desire, and fertility planning after treatment. ^[10]

Treatment Options to Discuss With Your Clinician

• Medication review: Adjusting drugs that worsen fatigue, pain, or mood may help libido. ^[1]
• Sexual function therapies: For erection problems, targeted therapies may be considered; for vulvovaginal dryness, moisturizers or other treatments can be discussed to improve comfort. ^[1] Improving vaginal dryness and comfort often enhances desire and arousal. ^[8]
• Counseling and sex therapy: Structured therapy can address changes in desire, body image, and relationship dynamics during survivorship. ^[11] Specialized support helps patients return to sexual health after cancer treatment. ^[11]

Safety and Timing Considerations

Ask your team about any precautions related to your specific treatment (for example, infection risk, bleeding risk, or fertility timing) and when it is safe to resume sexual activity or try to conceive. ^[7] Clear guidance ensures your partner’s safety and aligns intimacy with your recovery plan. ^[7]

Key Takeaways

• Low libido is common during and after cancer treatment due to physical, hormonal, and emotional factors, and this includes those treated for liver cancer. ^[1]
• Managing symptoms, caring for emotional health, and using targeted sexual health interventions can meaningfully improve desire and intimacy. ^{[2] [8]}
• Engaging specialized sexual health services and proactively discussing concerns with your clinicians often leads to personalized, effective solutions. ^{[9] [6]}